part one

Stories

Lesson 1

Let us begin with a group of 15 kanji, all of which you probably knew before you ever cracked the covers of this book. Each kanji has been provided with a single key word to represent the basic meaning. Some of these characters will also serve later as primitive elements to help form other kanji, when they will take a meaning different from the meaning they have as kanji. Although it is not necessary at this stage to memorize the special primitive meaning of these characters, a special remark preceded by a star (*) has been appended to alert you to the change in meaning.

The number of strokes of each character is given in square brackets at the end of each explanation, followed by the stroke-by-stroke order of writing. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to learn to write each kanji in its proper order. As easy as these first characters may seem, study them all with a pad and pencil to get into the habit from the very start.

Finally, note that each key word has been carefully chosen and should not be tampered with in any way if you want to avoid confusion later on.

1

one

一

In Chinese characters, the number one is laid on its side, unlike the Roman numeral I which stands upright. As you would expect, it is written from left to right. [1]

一

As a primitive element, the key-word meaning is discarded, since it is too abstract to be of much help. Instead, the single horizontal stroke takes on the meaning of floor or ceiling, depending on its position: if it stands above another primitive, it means ceiling; if below, floor.


2

two

二

Like the Roman numeral II, which reduplicates the numeral I, the kanji for two is a simple reduplication of the horizontal stroke that means one. The order of writing goes from above to below, with the first stroke slightly shorter. [2]

丁 七


3

three

三

And like the Roman numeral iii, which triples the numeral i, the kanji for three simply triples the single horizontal stroke. In writing it, think of “1 + 2 = 3” (一 + 二 = 三) in order to keep the middle stroke shorter. [3]

万 丈 三


4

four

四

This kanji is composed of two primitive elements, mouth 口 and human legs 儿, both of which we will meet in the coming lessons. Assuming that you already knew how to write this kanji, we will pass over the “story” connected with it until later.

Note how the second stroke is written left-to-right and then top-to-bottom. This is consistent with what we have already seen in the first three numbers and leads us to a general principle that will be helpful when we come to more complicated kanji later on: write north-to-south, west-to-east, northwest-to-southeast. [5]

上 下 不 与 丐


5

five

五

As with four, we shall postpone learning the primitive elements that make up this character. Note how the general principle we just learned in the preceding frame applies to the writing of the character for five. [4]

丑 且 丕 世


6

six

六

The primitives here are top hat and animal legs. Once again, we glide over them until later. [4]

丗 丘 丙 丞


7

seven

七

As with four, we shall postpone learning the primitive elements that make up this character. Note how the general principle we just learned in the preceding frame applies to the writing of the character for five. [4]

Note that the first stroke “cuts” through the second. This distinguishes seven from the character for spoon 匕 (frame 476), in which the horizontal stroke stops short. [2]

両 並

As a primitive, this form takes on the meaning of diced, i.e., “cut” into little pieces, consistent both with the way the character is written and with its association with the kanji for cut 切 to be learned in a later lesson (frame 89).


8

eight

八

Just as the Arabic numeral “8” is composed of a small circle followed by a larger one, so the kanji for eight is composed of a short line followed by a longer line, slanting towards it but not touching it. And just as the “lazy 8” ∞ is the mathematical symbol for “infinity,” so the expanse opened up below these two strokes is associated by the Japanese with the sense of an infinite expanse or something “all-encompassing.” [2]

丨 个


9

nine

九

If you take care to remember the stroke order of this kanji, you will not have trouble later keeping it distinct from the kanji for power 力 (frame 922). [2]

中丱

As a primitive, we shall use this kanji to mean baseball team or simply baseball. The meaning, of course, is derived from the nine players who make up a team.


10

ten

十

Turn this character 45º either way and you have the X used for the Roman numeral ten. [2]

串 丶

As a primitive, this character sometimes keeps its meaning of ten and sometimes signifies needle, this latter derived from the kanji for needle 針 (frame 292). Since the primitive is used in the kanji itself, there is no need to worry about confusing the two. In fact, we shall be following this procedure regularly.


11

mouth

口

Like several of the first characters we shall learn, the kanji for mouth is a clear pictograph. Since there are no circular shapes in the kanji, the square must be used to depict the circle. [3]

丸 丹 主

As a primitive, this form also means mouth. Any of the range of possible images that the word suggests—an opening or entrance to a cave, a river, a bottle, or even the largest hole in your head—can be used for the primitive meaning.


12

day

日

This kanji is intended to be a pictograph of the sun. Recalling what we said in the previous frame about round forms, it is easy to detect the circle and the big smile that characterize our simplest drawings of the sun—like those yellow badges with the words, “Have a nice day!” [4]

丼 丿 乂 乃

Used as a primitive, this kanji can mean sun or day or a tongue wagging in the mouth. This latter meaning, incidentally, derives from an old character outside the standard list meaning something like “sayeth” and written almost exactly the same, except that the stroke in the middle does not touch the right side (曰, frame 620).


13

month

月

This character is actually a picture of the moon, with the two horizontal lines representing the left eye and mouth of the mythical “man in the moon.” (Actually, the Japanese see a hare in the moon, but it is a little farfetched to find one in the kanji.) And one month, of course, is one cycle of the moon. [4]

久 之 乍 乎

As a primitive element, this character can take on the sense of moon, flesh, or part of the body. The reasons for the latter two meanings will be explained in a later chapter.


14

rice field

田

Another pictograph, this kanji looks like a bird’s-eye view of a rice field divided into four plots. Be careful when writing this character to get the order of the strokes correct. You will find that it follows perfectly the principle stated in frame 4. [5]

乏 乕 乖 乗 乘

When used as a primitive element, the meaning of rice field is most common, but now and again it will take the meaning of brains from the fact that it looks a bit like that tangle of gray matter nestled under our skulls.


15

eye

目

Here again, if we round out the corners of this kanji and curve the middle strokes upwards and downwards respectively, we get something resembling an eye. [5]

乙 九 乞 也 乢

As a primitive, the kanji keeps its sense of eye, or to be more specific, an eyeball. When placed in the surroundings of a complex kanji, the primitive will sometimes be turned on its side like this: 罒.


Although only 9 of the 15 kanji treated in this lesson are formally listed as primitives—the elements that join together to make up other kanji—some of the others may also take on that function from time to time, only not with enough frequency to merit learning them as separate primitive elements and attaching special meanings to them. In other words, whenever one of the kanji already learned is used in another kanji, it will retain its key-word meaning unless we have assigned it a special primitive meaning.

Lesson 2

In this lesson we learn what a “primitive element” is by using the first 15 characters as pieces that can be fitted together to form new kanji—19 of them to be exact. Whenever the primitive meaning differs from the key-word meaning, you may want to go back to the original frame to refresh your memory. From now on, though, you should learn both the key word and the primitive meaning of new kanji as they appear. An Index of primitive elements has been added at the end of the book.

16

old

古

The primitive elements that compose this character are ten and mouth, but you may find it easier to remember it as a pictograph of a tombstone with a cross on top. Just think back to one of those graveyards you have visited, or better still, used to play in as a child, with old inscriptions on the tombstones.

This departure from the primitive elements in favor of a pictograph will take place now and again at these early stages, and almost never after that. So you need not worry about cluttering up your memory with too many character “drawings.” [5]

亂 亅 了 予 争

Used as a primitive element, this kanji keeps its key-word sense of old, but care should be taken to make that abstract notion as graphic as possible.


17

I

吾

There are a number of kanji for the word I, but the others tend to be more specific than this one. The key word here should be taken in the general psychological sense of the “perceiving subject.” Now the one place in our bodies that all five senses are concentrated in is the head, which has no less than five mouths: 2 nostrils, 2 ears, and 1 mouth. Hence, five mouths = I. [7]

亊 事 二 于 云 互 五


18

risk

冒

Remember when you were young and your mother told you never to look directly into the sun for fear you might burn out your eyes? Probably you were foolish enough to risk a quick glance once or twice; but just as probably, you passed that bit of folk wisdom on to someone else as you grew older. Here, too, the kanji that has a sun above and an eye right below looking up at it has the meaning of risk (see frame 12). [9]

井 亘 亙 些 亡


19

companion

朋

The first companion that God made, as the Bible story goes, was Eve. Upon seeing her, Adam exclaimed, “Flesh of my flesh!” And that is precisely what this kanji says in so many strokes. [8]

亢 交 亥 亦 亭


20

bright

明

Among nature’s bright lights, there are two that the biblical myth has God set in the sky: the sun to rule over the day and the moon to rule the night. Each of them has come to represent one of the common connotations of this key word: the sun, the bright insight of the clear thinker, and the moon, the bright intuition of the poet and the seer (see frame 13). [8]

亶 仂


21

chant

唱

This one is easy! You have one mouth making no noise (the choirmaster) and two mouths with wagging tongues (the minimum for a chorus). So think of the key word, chant, as monastery singing and the kanji is yours forever (see frame 11). [11]

仇 从 他


22

sparkle

晶

What else can the word sparkle suggest if not a diamond? And if you’ve ever held a diamond up to the light, you will have noticed how every facet of it becomes like a miniature sun. This kanji is a picture of a tiny sun in three places (that is, “everywhere”), to give the sense of something that sparkles on all sides. Just like a diamond. In writing the primitive elements three times, note again how the rule for writing given in frame 4 holds true not only for the strokes in each individual element but also for the disposition of the elements in the character as a whole. [12]

仝 代 仮


23

goods

品

As in the character for sparkle, the triplication of a single element in this character indicates “everywhere” or “heaps of.” When we think of goods in modern industrial society, we think of what has been mass-produced—that is to say, produced for the “masses” of open mouths waiting like fledglings in a nest to “consume” whatever comes their way. [9]

件 仼 伃


24

spine

呂

This character is rather like a picture of two of the vertebrae in the spine linked by a single stroke. [7]

伉 伊 伍 伎 伏 伐 休


25

prosperous

昌

What we mentioned in the previous two frames about 3 of something meaning “everywhere” or “heaps of” was not meant to be taken lightly. In this kanji we see two suns, one atop the other, which, if we are not careful, is easily confused in memory with the three suns of sparkle. Focus on the number this way: since we speak of prosperous times as sunny, what could be more prosperous than a sky with two suns in it? Just be sure to actually see them there. [8]

伯 伸


26

early

早

This kanji is actually a picture of the first flower of the day, which we shall, in defiance of botanical science, call the sun-flower, since it begins with the element for sun and is held up on a stem with leaves (the pictographic representation of the final two strokes). This time, however, we shall ignore the pictograph and imagine sunflowers with needles for stems, which can be plucked and used to darn your socks.

The sense of early is easily remembered if one thinks of the sunflower as the early riser in the garden, because the sun, showing favoritism towards its namesake, shines on it before all the others (see frame 10). [6]

伽 佃 但

As a primitive element, this kanji takes the meaning of sun-flower, which was used to make the abstract key word early more graphic.


27

rising sun

旭

This character is a sort of nickname for the Japanese flag with its well-known emblem of the rising sun. If you can picture two seams running down that great red sun, and then imagine it sitting on a baseball bat for a flagpole, you have a slightly irreverent—but not altogether inaccurate—picture of how the sport has caught on in the Land of the Rising Sun. [6]

佇 位 低 住 佐 佑


28

generation

世

We generally consider one generation as a period of thirty (or ten plus ten plus ten) years. If you look at this kanji in its completed form—not in its stroke order—you will see three tens. When writing it, think of the lower horizontal lines as “addition” lines written under numbers to add them up. Thus: ten “plus” ten “plus” ten = thirty. Actually, it’s a lot easier doing it with a pencil than reading it in a book. [5]

体 何 佖 佗 余


29

stomach

胃

You will need to refer back to frames 13 and 14 here for the special meaning of the two primitive elements that make up this character: flesh (part of the body) and brain. What the kanji says, if you look at it, is that the part of the body that keeps the brain in working order is the stomach. To keep the elements in proper order, when you write this kanji think of the brain as being “held up” by the flesh. [9]

佞 佳


30

nightbreak

旦

While we normally refer to the start of the day as “daybreak,” Japanese commonly refers to it as the “opening up of night” into day. Hence the choice of this rather odd key word, nightbreak. The single stroke at the bottom represents the floor (have a peek again at frame 1) or the horizon over which the sun is poking its head. [5]

佼 使


31

gall bladder

胆

The pieces in this character should be easily recognizable: on the left, the element for part of the body, and on the right, the character for nightbreak, which we have just met. What all of this has to do with the gall bladder is not immediately clear. But all we need to do is give a slight twist to the traditional biblical advice about not letting the sun set on your anger (which ancient medicine associated with the choler or bile that the gall bladder is supposed to filter out), and change it to “not letting the night break on your anger” (or your gall)—and the work of remembering the kanji is done. And the improvement is not a bad piece of advice in its own right, since anger, like so many other things, can often be calmed by letting the sun set on it and then “sleeping it off.” [9]

侊 侒


32

span

亘

“Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset…” goes the song of the Fiddler on the Roof. You can almost see the journey of the sun as it moves from one horizon (the floor) to its noonday heights in the sky overhead (ceiling) and then disappears over the other horizon—day after day, marking the span of our lives. [6]

侔 供 依


We end this lesson with two final pictographic characters that happen to be among the easiest to recognize for their form, but among the most difficult to write. We introduce them here to run an early test on whether or not you have been paying close attention to the stroke order of the kanji you have been learning.

33

concave

凹

You couldn’t have asked for a better key word for this kanji! Just have a look at it: a perfect image of a concave lens (remembering, of course, that the kanji square off rounded things), complete with its own little “cave.” Now all you have to do is learn how to write it. [5]

侠 価 侫 侭 侮


34

convex

凸

Maybe this helps you see how the Japanese have no trouble keeping convex distinct from concave. Note the odd feeling of the third stroke. If it doesn’t feel all that strange now, by the time you are done with this book, it will. There are very few times you will have to write it. [5]

侯 侵 侶 便 係


Lesson 3

After Lesson 2, you should now have some idea of how an apparently complex and difficult kanji can be broken down into simple elements that make remembering it a great deal easier. After completing this lesson you should have a clearer idea of how the course is laid out. We merely add a couple of primitive elements to the kanji we already know and see how many new kanji we can form—in this case, 20 in all—and when we run out, add more primitives. And so on, until there are no kanji left.

In Lesson 3 you will also be introduced to primitive elements that are not themselves kanji but only used to construct other kanji. These are marked with a star [*] instead of a number. There is no need to make a special effort to memorize them. The sheer frequency with which most of them show up should make remembering them automatic.

*

walking stick

丨

This primitive element is a picture of just what it looks like: a cane or walking stick. It carries with it the connotations of lameness and whatever else one associates with the use of a cane. Rarely—but very rarely—it will be laid on its side. Whenever this occurs, it will always be driven through the middle of some other primitive element. In this way, you need not worry about confusing it with the primitive meanings of one. [1]

促


*

a drop of



The meaning of this primitive is obvious from the first moment you look at it, though just what it will be a drop of will differ from case to case. The important thing is not to think of it as something insignificant like a “drop in the bucket” but as something so important that it can change the whole picture—like a drop of arsenic in your mother-in-law’s coffee. [1]

俄 倅

In general, it is written from right to left, but there are times when it can be slanted left to right. At other times it can be stretched out a bit. (In cases where you have trouble remembering this, it may help to think of it as an eyedropper dripping drops of something or other.) Examples will follow in this lesson.


35

olden times

旧

A walking stick is needed for days of olden times, since days, too, get old—at least insofar as we refer to them as the “good old days.” The main thing here is to think of “good old days” when you hear the key word olden times. The rest will take care of itself. [5]

俉 俐


36

oneself

自

You can think of this kanji as a stylized pictograph of the nose, that little drop that Mother Nature set between your eyes. The Japanese refer to themselves by pointing a finger at their nose—giving us an easy way to remember the kanji for oneself. [6]

俑 俔 俗 俘 俚 俛


37

white

白

The color white is a mixture of all the primary colors, both for pigments and for light, as we see when a prism breaks up the rays of the sun. Hence, a single drop of sun spells white. [5]

保 俟 信 俣 俤

As a primitive, this character can either retain its meaning of white or take the more graphic meaning of a white bird or dove. This latter stems from the fact that it appears at the top of the kanji for bird, which we shall get to later (frame 2091).


38

hundred

百

The Japanese refer to a person’s 99th birthday as a “white year” because white is the kanji you are left with if you subtract one from a hundred. [6]

俥 修 俯 俳 俵 俶


39

in

中

The elements here are a walking stick and a mouth. Remember the trouble your mother had getting medicine in your mouth? Chances are it crossed her mind more than once to grab something handy, like your grandfather’s walking stick, to pry open your jaws while she performed her duty. Keep the image of getting something in from the outside, and the otherwise abstract sense of this key word should be a lot easier than trying to spoon castor oil into a baby’s mouth. [4]

俸 俺 俾 俿


40

thousand

千

This kanji is almost too simple to pull apart, but for the sake of practice, have a look at the eyedropper above and the ten below. Now put the elements together by thinking of squeezing two more zeros out of an eyedropper alongside the number ten to make it a thousand. [3]

倅 倆 倉


41

tongue

舌

The primitive for mouth and the character for thousand naturally form the idea of tongue if one thinks of a thousand mouths able to speak the same language, or as we say, “sharing a common tongue.” It is easy to see the connection between the idiom and the kanji if you take its image literally: a single tongue being passed around from mouth to mouth. [6]

個 倍 倏 們 倒 倔


42

measuring box

升

This is the character for the little wooden box that the Japanese use for measuring things, as well as for drinking saké out of. Simply imagine the outside as spiked with a thousand sharp needles, and the quaint little measuring box becomes a drinker’s nightmare!

Be very careful when you write this character not to confuse it with the writing of thousand. The reason for the difference gives us a chance to clarify another general principle of writing that supersedes the one we mentioned in frame 4: when a single stroke runs vertically through the middle of a character, it is written last. [4]

倖 候 倚 倞


43

rise up

昇

Our image here is made up of two primitive elements: a sun and a measuring box. Just as the sun can be seen rising up in the morning from—where else—the Land of the Rising Sun, this kanji has the sun rising up out of a Japanese measuring box—the “measuring box of the rising-up sun.” [8]

倣 倨


44

round

丸

We speak of “round numbers,” or “rounding a number off,” meaning to add an insignificant amount to bring it to the nearest 10. For instance, if you add just a wee bit, the tiniest drop, to nine, you end up with a round number. [3]

倩 倪 倫

As a primitive, this element takes the meaning of a fat man. Think of a grotesquely fat man whose paunch so covers the plate that he is always getting hit by the pitch. Hence a round baseball player becomes a fat man.


45

measurement

寸

This kanji actually stood for a small measurement used prior to the metric system, a bit over an inch in length, and from there acquired the sense of measurement. In the old system, it was one-tenth of a shaku (whose kanji we shall meet in frame 1151). The picture, appropriately, represents one drop of a ten (with a hook!). [3]

倬 倭 倶

As a primitive, we shall use this to mean glue or glued to. There is no need to devise a story to remember this, since the primitive will appear so often you would have to struggle hard not to remember it.


46

elbow

肘

Instead of the familiar “grease” we usually associate with the elbow of someone hard at work, the kanji gives us a part of the body that has been glued to its task. [7]

魴 "


47

specialty

専

Ten . . . rice fields . . . glue. That is how one would read the primitive elements of this kanji from top to bottom. Now if we make a simple sentence out of these elements, we get: “Ten rice fields glued together.”

A specialty, of course, refers to one’s special “field” of endeavor or competence. In fact, few people remain content with a single specialty and usually extend themselves in other fields as well. This is how we come to get the picture of ten fields glued together to represent a specialty. [9]

倹 偀 偂 偃 偆 假 偈 偉 偏


48

Dr.

博

At the left we have the needle; at the right, the kanji for specialty, plus an extra drop at the top. Think of a Dr. who is a specialist with a needle (an acupuncturist) and let the drop at the top represent the period at the end of Dr.

In principle we are trying to avoid this kind of device, which plays on abstract grammatical conventions; but I think you will agree, after you have had occasion to use the right side of this kanji in forming other kanji, that the exception is merited in this case. [12]

嘉 嘔 嘖 嘗 嘘 嘛 嘩嘯嘱 嘲 嘴 嘶

The primitive form of this kanji eliminates the needle on the left and gets the meaning of an acupuncturist.


We have already seen one example of how to form primitives from other primitives, when we formed the nightbreak out of sun and floor (frame 30). Let us take two more examples of this procedure right away, so that we can do so from now on without having to draw any particular attention to the fact.

*

divining rod

卜

This is a picture of a divining rod, composed of a drop and a walking stick, but easy enough to remember as a pictograph. Alternately, you can think of it as a magic wand. In either case, it should suggest images of magic or fortune-telling.

Nowadays it is written in the stroke order given here when it appears as a primitive, but until recently the order was often reversed (in order to instill correct habits for more stylized calligraphy). [2]

偐 偕

Although it falls outside of the list of general-use kanji, this element is actually a kanji in its own right, having virtually the same meaning as the kanji in the next frame.


49

fortune-telling

占

This is one of those kanji that is a real joy of simplicity: a divining rod with a mouth—which translate directly into fortune-telling.

Note how the movement from top to bottom (the movement in which the kanji are written) is also the order of the elements which make up our story and of the key word itself: first divining rod, then mouth. This will not always be possible, but where it is, memory has almost no work at all to do. [5]

偖 做 停 健 偬


50

above

上

The two directions, above and below, are usually pointed at with the finger. But the characters do not follow that custom, so we have to choose something else, easily remembered. The primitives show a magic wand standing above a floor—“magically,” you might say. Anyway, go right on to the next frame, since the two belong together and are best remembered as a unit, just as the words above and below suggest each other. [3]

偰 偲 側


51

below

下

Here we see our famous miraculous magic wand hanging, all on its own, below the ceiling, as you probably already guessed would happen. In addition to giving us two new kanji, the two shapes given in this and the preceding frame also serve to fix the use of the primitives for ceiling and floor, by drawing our attention successively to the line standing above and below the primitive element to which it is related. [3]

偵 偶 偸


52

eminent

卓

The word eminent suggests a famous or well-known person. So all you need to do—given the primitives of a magic wand and a sunflower—is to think of the world’s most eminent magician as one who uses a sunflower for a magic wand (like a flower-child who goes around turning the world into peace and love). [8]

偽 傀 傅 傍 傑 傔 傘 備


*

mist



Here is our second example of a primitive composed of other primitives but not itself a kanji. At the bottom is the primitive (also a kanji) for early or sunflower. At the top, a needle. Conveniently, mist falls early in the morning, like little needles of rain, to assure that the sunflower blooms early as we have learned it should. [8]

傚 催 傭 傲 傳 傴 債 傷


53

morning

朝

On the right we see the moon fading off into the first light of morning, and to the left, the mist that falls to give nature a shower to prepare it for the coming heat. If you can think of the moon tilting over to spill mist on your garden, you should have no trouble remembering which of all the elements in this story are to serve as primitives for constructing the character. [12]

傷 僉


54

derision

嘲

The bad feeling created by words spoken in derision often leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the one who speaks them, kind of like the foul aftertaste that follows a night before of too much of the wrong stuff—or what we call morning mouth. [15]

魵 #


Lesson 4

At the risk of going a little bit too fast, we are now going to introduce five new primitive elements, all of which are very easy to remember, either because of their frequency or because of their shape. But remember: there is no reason to study the primitives by themselves. They are being presented systematically to make their learning automatic.

*

animal legs



Like the four that follow it, this primitive is not a kanji in its own right, though it is said to be derived from 八, the character we learned earlier for eight. It always comes at the bottom of the primitive to which it is related. It can mean the legs of any kind of animal: from a grizzly bear’s paws to an octopus’s tentacles to the spindle shanks of a spider. (The one animal not allowed is our friend homo sapiens, whose legs figure in the next frame.) Even where the term “legs” will apply metaphorically to the legs of pieces of furniture, it is best to keep the association with animal legs. (You may review frame 6 here.) [2]

乾 亀


*

human legs

儿

Notice how these human legs are somewhat shapelier and more highly evolved than those of the so-called “lower animals.” The one on the left, drawn first, is straight; while the one on the right bends gracefully and ends with a hook. Though they are not likely to suggest the legs of any human you know, they do have something of the look of someone out for a stroll, especially if you compare them to animal legs.

If you had any trouble with the kanji for the number four, now would be the time to return to it (frame 4). [2]

乱 乳


*

wind

几

This primitive gets its name from the full kanji for the wind (frame 563). It is called an “enclosure” because other elements are often drawn in the middle of it, though it can also be compressed together so that there is no room for anything in it. The main thing to remember when writing this element is that the second stroke bends outwards, like a gust of wind blown from above. In addition to the basic meaning of wind, we shall also have occasion to use the image of a weather vane. The derivation is obvious. [2]

僑 僕


*

bound up

勹

Like wind, the element meaning bound up is also an enclosure that can wrap itself around other elements or be compressed when there is nothing to enclose. When this latter happens—usually because there is not enough room—and it is set on top, the little hook at the end is dropped off, like this: 聴.

The sense of bound up is that of being “tied and gagged” or wrapped up tightly. If you have trouble remembering when it serves as an enclosure (with the hook) and when not (without the hook), you might think of the former as a chain and the latter as a rope. [2]

僖 僘


*

horns

僞

This primitive element always appears at the top of the element to which it is related, and is always attached, or almost attached, to the first horizontal line to come under it. The horns can never simply be left hanging in the air. When there is no line available, an extra horizontal stroke (like a one) is added. The final kanji of this lesson gives an example.

The meaning of this element is wide enough to embrace the horns of bulls, rams, billy goats, and moose, but not the family of musical instruments. As with other elements with such “open” meanings, it is best to settle on one that you find most vivid and stick with that image consistently. [2]

僚 僞


55

only

只

When we run across abstract key words like this one, the best way to get an image it to recall some common but suggestive phrase in which the word appears. For instance, we can think of the expression “it’s the only one of its kind.” Then we imagine a barker at a side-show advertising some strange pac-man like creature he has inside his tent, with only a gigantic mouth and two wee animal legs. [5]

僣 僥 僧 僭 僮


56

shellfish

貝

To remember the primitive elements that make up this kanji, an eye and animal legs, you might be tempted to think of it as a pictograph of a shellfish with its ridged shell at the top and two little legs sticking out of the bottom. But that might not help you recall later just how many ridges to put on the shell. Better to imagine a freakish shellfish with a single, gigantic eye roaming the beaches on its slender little legs, scaring the wits out of the sunbathers. [7]

僴 僵 價 僻 儀 儁 儂

When used as a primitive, in addition to shells, the meanings oyster and clam will often come in handy.


57

pop song

唄

There is a lot of money to be made if one’s songs are “popular.” This is depicted here as a stream of clams spewing out of the mouth of someone performing a pop song. [10]

鮃 "


58

upright

貞

Now take the last primitive, the shellfish, and set a magic wand over it, and you have the kanji for upright. After all, the clam and the oyster are incapable of walking upright. It would take a magician with his wand to pull off such a feat—which is precisely what we have in this kanji. [9]

儉 償


59

employee

員

How do we get a mouth over a shellfish to mean an employee? Simple. Just remember the advice new employees get about keeping their mouths shut and doing their job, and then make that more graphic by picturing an office building full of white-collar workers scurrying around with clams pinched to their mouths. [10]

儲 允


60

post a bill

貼

The key word in this frame has do with posting bills to a billboard. In this case, the billboard is standing at the exit to a Chinese restaurant displaying the latest alternative to the traditional fortune-telling cookies. Look closely and you will see rows of leftover shells of clams with little slips of paper sticking out of them posted to the billboard.[12]

鮏 $


61

see

見

The elements that compose the character for see are the eye firmly fixed to a pair of human legs. Surely, somewhere in your experience, there is a vivid image just waiting to be dragged up to help you remember this character…. [7]

元 兄 充 兆 兇 先 光


62

newborn babe

児

The top part of the kanji in this frame, you will remember, is the character for olden times, those days so old they needed a walking stick to get around. Western mythical imagination has old “Father Time” leaning on his sickle with a newborn babe crawling around his legs, the idea being that the circle of birth-and-death goes on.

This is the first of three times that the kanji for olden times will appear in this book as a primitive element in another kanji, so try to make the most of it. [7]

兊 兎 児 兒


63

beginning

元

“In the beginning…” starts that marvelous shelf of books we call the Bible. It talks about how all things were made, and tells us that when the Creator came to humanity she made two of them, man and woman. While we presume she made two of every other animal as well, we are not told as much. Hence we need only two and a pair of human legs come to the kanji that means beginning. [4]

兔 党 兜 兢


64

page

頁

What we have to do here is turn a shellfish into a page of a book. The one at the top tells us that we only get a rather short book, in fact a book of only one page.

Imagine a title printed on the shell of an oyster, let us say “Pearl of Wisdom,” and then open the quaint book to its one and only page, on which you find a single, radiant drop of wisdom, one of the masterpiece poems of nature. [9]

兤 入 全 兩 兪 八 公 六 兮

As a primitive, this kanji takes the unrelated meaning of a head (preferably one detached from its body), derived from the character for head (frame 1549).


65

stubborn

頑

This character refers to the blockheaded, persistent stubbornness of one who sticks to an idea or a plan just the way it was at the beginning, without letting anything that comes up along the way alter things in the least. The explanation makes “sense,” but is hard to remember because the word “beginning” is too abstract. Back up to the image we used two frames ago—Adam and Eve in their Eden—and try again: The root of all stubbornness goes back to the beginning, with two brothers each stubbornly defending his own way of life and asking their God to bless it favorably. Abel stuck to agriculture, Cain to animal-raising. Picture these two with their giant, swelled heads, each vying for the favors of heaven, a stubborn grimace on their faces. No wonder something unfortunate happened! [13]

具 册


66

mediocre

凡

While we refer to something insignificant as a “drop in the bucket,” the kanji for mediocre suggests the image of a “drop in the wind.” [3]

墮 墲 墳


67

defeat

負

Above we have the condensed form of bound up, and below the familiar shellfish. Now imagine two oysters engaged in shell-to-shell combat, the one who is defeated being bound and gagged with seaweed, the victor towering triumphantly over it. The bound shellfish thus becomes the symbol for defeat. [9]

冏 冗


68

ten thousand

万

Japanese counts higher numbers in units of ten thousand, unlike the West, which advances according to units of one thousand. (Thus, for instance, 40,000 would be read “four ten-thousands” by a Japanese.) Given that the comma is used in larger numbers to bind up a numerical unit of one thousand, the elements for one and bound up naturally come to form ten thousand.

The order of strokes here needs special attention, both because it falls outside the general principles we have learned already, and because it involves writing the element for bound up in an order opposite to the one we learned. If it is any consolation, this happens every time these three strokes come together. [3]

写 冝 冠


69

phrase

句

By combining the two primitives bound up and mouth, it is easy to see how this character can get the meaning of a phrase. After all, a phrase is nothing more than a number of words bound up tightly and neatly so that they will fit in your mouth. [5]

冢 冤 冥 冦 冨


70

texture

肌

Ever notice how the texture of your face and hands is affected by the wind? A day’s skiing or sailing makes them rough and dry, and in need of a good soft cream to soothe the burn. So whenever a part of the body gets exposed to the wind, its texture is affected. (If it is any help, the Latin word hiding inside texture connotes how something is “to the touch.”) [6]

冷 冾


71

decameron

旬

There simply is not a good phrase in English for the block of ten days which this character represents. So we resurrect the classical phrase, decameron, whose connotations the tales of Boccaccio have done much to enrich. Actually, it refers to a journey of ten days taken by a band of people—that is, a group of people bound together for the days of the decameron. [6]

凅 凌


72

ladle

勺

If you want to bind up drops of anything—water, soup, lemonade—you use something to scoop these drops up, which is what we call a ladle. See the last drop left inside the ladle? [3]

働 像


73

bull’s eye

的

The elements white bird and ladle easily suggest the image of a bull’s eye if you imagine a rusty old ladle with a bull’s eye painted on it in the form of a tiny white bird, who lets out a little “peep” every time you hit the target. [8]

凝 処


74

neck

首

Reading this kanji from the top down, we have: horns . . . nose. Together they bring to mind the picture of a moose-head hanging on the den wall, with its great horns and long nose. Now while we would speak of cutting off a moose’s “head” to hang on the wall, the Japanese speak of cutting off its neck. It’s all a matter of how you look at it. Anyway, if you let the word neck conjure up the image of a moose with a very l-o-n-g neck hanging over the fireplace, whose horns you use for a coat-rack and whose nose has spigots left and right for scotch and water, you should have no trouble with the character.

Here we get a good look at what we mentioned when we first introduced the element for horns: that they can never be left floating free and require an extra horizontal stroke to prevent that from happening, as is the case here. [9]

凧 凩 凪 凬 凭 凰 凱 凵 凶


Lesson 5

That is about all we can do with the pieces we have accumulated so far, but as we add each new primitive element to those we already know, the number of kanji we will be able to form will increase by leaps and bounds.

If we were to step outside of the standard list, we would see that there are still a handful of more characters we could make with the pieces at hand, though none of them is very useful

While many of the stories you have learned in the previous lessons are actually more complex than the majority you will learn in the later chapters, they are the first stories you have learned, and for that reason are not likely to cause you much difficulty. By now, however, you may be wondering just how to go about reviewing what you have learned. Obviously it won’t do simply to flip through the pages you have already studied, because the order already gives them away. One, rather outdated, method is to design for yourself a set of flash cards that you can add to as you go through the book. Another is to take advantage of an iPad app called “Remembering the Kanji” (produced by Mirai LLP) that has been created especially for the purpose.

Whatever method you use, a note about reviewing. You have probably gotten yourself into the habit of writing the character several times when memorizing it, whether you need to or not; and then writing it more times for kanji that you have trouble remembering. There is really no need to write the kanji more than once, unless you have trouble with the stroke order and want to get a better “feel” for it. If a kanji causes you trouble, spend time clarifying the imagery of its story. Simply rewriting the character will reinforce any latent suspicions you still have that the “tried and true method” of learning by repeating is the only reliable one—the very bias we are trying to uproot. Also, when you review, review only from the key word to the kanji, not the other way around. The reasons for this, along with further notes on reviewing, will come later.

We are now ready to return to work, adding a few new primitives one by one, and seeing what new characters they allow us to form. We shall cover 24 new kanji in this lesson.

75

fish guts

乙

The kanji shown here actually represents the “second” position in the old Chinese zodiac, which the Japanese still use as an alternate way of enumeration, much the same way that English will revert to Roman numerals. Among its many other meanings are “pure,” “tasteful,” “quaint,” and—get this!—fish guts. Since it is a pictograph of a fishhook, it should not be hard to associate it with the key word. [1]

凸

We will take fishhook and hook as primitive meanings. The shape will rarely be quite the same as that of the kanji. When it appears at the bottom of another primitive, it is straightened out, almost as if the weight of the upper element had bent it out of shape: 肌. And when it appears to the right of another element, the short horizontal line that gets the shape started is omitted and it is stretched out and narrowed, all for reasons of space and aesthetics: 乚. Examples follow.


76

riot

乱

In a riot, manners are laid aside and tempers get short, even in so courtesy-conscious a land as Japan. This kanji shows what happens to a rioting tongue: it gets “barbed” like a fishhook, and sets to attacking the opposition, to hook them as it were. [7]

刃 刄


77

straightaway

直

Begin with the top two primitives, needle and eye. Together they represent the eye of a needle. Below them is a fishhook that has been straightened out and its barb removed so that it can pass through the eye of the needle. [8]

分 切 刈 刊 刋 刎 刑 刔


*

tool



Although this primitive is not very common, it is useful to know, as the following examples will show. Conveniently, it is always drawn at the very bottom of any kanji in which it figures. The first stroke, the horizontal one, is detached from anything above it, but is necessary to distinguish tool from animal legs. The sense of the element is a carpenter’s tool, which comes from its pictographic representation of a small table with legs (make them animal legs if you need a more graphic image), so that any element lying on top of it will come to be viewed as a tool in the hands of a carpenter. [3]

刕 列 初


78

tool

具

Here is the full kanji on which the last frame is based. If you can think of a table full of carpenter’s tools of all sorts, each equipped with its own eye so that it can keep a watch over what you are doing with it, you won’t have trouble later keeping the primitive and the kanji apart. [8]

刪 刮 到 刳


79

true

真

Here again we meet the composite element, eye of the needle, which here combines with tool to give us a measure of what is true and what is not. [10]

制 刷 剃 削


*

by one’s side

聳

This primitive has the look of ten, except that the left stroke is bent down toward the left. It indicates where your hands (your ten fingers) fall when you let them droop: by your side.

The stroke order of this character can be reversed; but whichever stroke is written second, that stroke should be drawn longer than the other. The difference is slight, and all but unnoticeable in printed characters, but it should be learned all the same. [2]

剖 剛 ・ 剥 剩


80

craft

工

The pictograph of an I beam, like the kind that is used in heavy construction work on buildings and bridges, gives us the character for craft in general. [3]

前 剏 剔

As a primitive element, the key word retains the meaning of craft and also takes on the related meanings of I beam and artificial.


81

left

左

By combining the primitive and the kanji of the last two frames and reading the results, we get: by one’s side . . . craft. Conveniently, the left has traditionally been considered the “sinister” side, where dark and occult crafts are cultivated. Note how the second stroke droops over to the left and is longer than the first. [5]

剖 剛 剞 剣 剤


82

right

右

When thinking of the key word right, in order to avoid confusion with the previous frame, take advantage of the double-meaning here, too. Imagine a little mouth hanging down by your side—like a little voice of conscience—telling you the right thing to do. Here the second stroke should reach out to the right and be drawn slightly longer than the first. [5]

剥 剩 剪 副 剰


83

possess

有

The picture here is of someone with a slab of flesh dangling by the side, perhaps from a belt or rope tied around the waist. Think of it as an evil spirit in possession of one’s soul, who can be exorcized only by allowing fresh flesh to hang by one’s side until it begins to putrefy and stink so bad that the demon departs. Take careful note of the stroke order. [6]

剱 割 剳 剴 創 剽


84

bribe

賄

To the left we have the primitive for a shellfish, and to the right the kanji we just learned for possess. Keep the connotation of the last frame for the word possess, and now expand your image of shells to include the ancient value they had as money (a usage that will come in very helpful later on). Now one who is possessed by shells is likely to abandon any higher principles to acquire more and more wealth. These are the easiest ones to bribe with a few extra shells. [13]

劑 加


85

tribute

貢

A tribute has a kind of double-meaning in English: honor paid freely and money collected by coercion. Simply because a ruler bestows a noble name on a deed is hardly any consolation to the masses who must part with their hard-earned money. Little wonder that this ancient craft of getting money by calling it a tribute has given way to a name closer to how it feels to those who pay it: a tax. [10]

助 労


86

paragraph

項

To the right we see a head and to the left an element that means craft. When we think of a paragraph, we immediately think of a heading device to break a text into parts. (Think of the elaborate heads often seen at the start of medieval manuscripts and the task becomes easier still.) Just where and how to do it belongs to the writer’s craft. Hence, we define paragraphing as the “heading craft” to remember this character. [12]

劼 勒


87

sword

刀

Although this kanji no longer looks very much like a sword, it does have some resemblance to the handle of the sword. This is to our advantage, in that it helps us make a distinction between two primitive elements based on this kanji. [2]

動 勗

In the form of the kanji, this primitive means a dagger. When it appears to the right of another element, it is commonly stretched out like this 刂 and takes the sense of a great and flashing saber, a meaning it gets from a character we shall learn later (frame 1801).


88

blade

刃

Think of using a dagger as a razor blade, and it shouldn’t be hard to imagine cutting yourself. See the little drop of blood clinging to the blade? [3]

勘 務 勛


89

cut

切

To the right we see the dagger and next to it the number seven whose primitive meaning we decided would be diced (frame 7). It is hard to think of cutting anything with a knife without imagining one of those skillful Japanese chefs. Only let us say that he has had too much to drink at a party, grabs a dagger lying on the mantelpiece and starts dicing up everything in sight, starting with the hors d’oeuvres and going on to the furniture and the carpets…. [4]

勝 勞 募 勠


90

seduce

召

A sword or dagger posed over a mouth is how the character for “beckoning” is written. The related but less tame key word seduce was chosen because it seemed to fit better with the—how shall we put it?—Freudian implications of the kanji. (Observe if you will that it is not sure whether the long slender object is seducing the small round one or vice versa.) [5]

勣 勲

The primitive meaning remains the same: seduce. Just be sure to associate it with a very concrete image.


91

shining

昭

Let the key word suggest shining one’s shoes, the purpose of which is to seduce the sun down on them for all to see. [9]

勹 匁


92

rule

則

The character depicts a clam alongside a great and flashing saber. Think of digging for clams in an area where there are gaming rules governing how large a find has to be before you can keep it. So you take your trusty saber, which you have carefully notched like a yardstick, crack open a clam, and then measure the poor little beastie to see if it is as long as the rules say it has to be. [9]

匏 匕


*

wealth



To prepare for following frame, we introduce here a somewhat rare primitive meaning wealth. It takes its meaning from the common image of the overwealthy as also being overfed. More specifically, the kanji shows us one single mouth devouring all the harvest of the fields, presumably while those who labor in them go hungry. Think of the phrase exactly as it is written when you draw the character, and the disposition of the elements is easy. [9]

化 匚 匤


93

vice-

副

The key word vice has the sense of someone second-in-command. The great and flashing saber to the right (its usual location, so you need not worry about where to put it from now on) and the wealth on the left combine to create an image of dividing one’s property to give a share to one’s vice-wealthholder. [11]

匿 區 十


94

separate

別

In the Old East, the samurai and his saber were never separated. They were constant companions, like the cowboy of the Old West and his six-shooter. This character depicts what must have been the height of separation-anxiety for a samurai: to be bound up with a rope and unable to get at his saber leaning only a few feet away from him. Look at that mouth bellowing out for shame and sorrow!

Note the order in which the element for tied up is written—just as it had been with the character for ten thousand. [7]

卆 升 午 半


95

street

丁

The picture here is of a street sign on a long pole: Hollywood and Vine, if you please, or any street that immediately conjures up the image of a street sign to you. [2]

卍 卑

Used as a primitive, we change the meaning of the key word and take the shape to signify a nail or a spike. Should it happen, on reviewing, that you find the pictographs get jumbled, then think of jerking a street sign out of the ground and using it as a nail to repair your garage roof.


96

village

町

Street signs standing at the corner of the rice fields depict the village limits. (Remember what was said earlier: when used as a primitive, a kanji may either take its primitive meaning or revert to the original meaning of its key word.) [7]

卒 卓 協 南 単 博 卜


97

can

可

Remember the story about the “Little Engine that Could” when you hear this key word, and the rest is simple. See the determined little locomotive huffing and puffing up the mountain—”I think I can, I think I can...”—spitting railroad spikes out of its mouth as it chews up the line to the top. [5]

卞 占 卦 卩 卮


98

place on the head

頂

The key word is actually a formal metaphor meaning “humble acceptance.” Reading off the two primitive elements in the order of their writing, we have: nail . . . head. As in “hitting the nail on the head.” Now one presumes that most people can handle metaphors, but if you were to run into a dimwit working in a hardware store who only knew the literal meaning of things, and were to ask him, in your best Japanese, to place on your head a nail, he might miss the point and cause you considerable torment. [11]

印 卿


Lesson 6

The last group of primitives took us pretty far, and probably forced you to pay more attention to the workings of imagination. In this lesson we shall concentrate on primitives that have to do with people.

As you were reminded in frame 80, even those kanji that are given special meanings as primitives may also retain their key word meaning when used as primitives. Although this may sound confusing, in fact it turns out to be convenient for making stories and, in addition, helps to reinforce the original meaning of the character.

99

all

子

This kanji is a pictograph of a child wrapped up in one of those handy cocoons that Japanese mothers fix to their backs to carry around young children who cannot get around by themselves. The first stroke is like a wee head popping out for air; the second shows the body and legs all wrapped up; and the final stroke shows the arms sticking out to cling to the mother’s neck. [3]

厂 厄 厓

As a primitive, the meaning of child is retained, though you might imagine a little older child, able to run around and get into more mischief.


100

cavity

孔

Probably the one thing most children fear more than anything else is the dentist’s chair. Once a child has seen a dentist holding the x-rays up to the light and heard that ominous word cavity, even though it is not likely to know that the word means “hole” until it is much older, it will not be long before those two syllables get associated with the drill and that row of shiny hooks the dentist uses to torture people who are too small to fight back. [4]

厖 厘 厚 原


101

complete

了

Learn this character by returning to frame 99 and the image given there. The only difference is that the “arms” have been left off (actually, only tucked inside). Thus a child with its arms wrapped up into the back-sack is the picture of a job successfully completed. [2]

厠 厥


102

woman

女

You have probably seen somewhere the form of a squatting woman drawn behind this character, with two legs at the bottom, two arms (the horizontal line) and the head poking out the top. A little farfetched, until you draw the character and feel the grace and flow of the three simple strokes. Remembering the kanji is easy; being able to write it beautifully is another thing. [3]

厦 厨 厩

The primitive meaning is the same: woman.


103

fond

好

The phrase “to be fond of someone” has a natural gentleness about it, and lends a tenderness to the sense of touching by giving us the related term “to fondle.” The character likens it to a woman fondling her child. [6]

厰 厶


104

likeness

如

Pardon me if I revert to the venerable old Dr. Freud again, but his eye for symbolism is often helpful to appreciate things that more earthy imaginations once accepted more freely but that we have learned to cover over with a veneer of etiquette. For instance, the fact that things like the mouth of a cave served as natural ritual substitutes for the opening through which a woman gives birth. Hence, in order to be reborn as an adult, one may have to pass through the psychological equivalent of the womb, that is, something that bears a likeness to the opening of the woman from whom you were born. [6]

參 及


105

mama

母

Look closely at this kanji and you will find the outline of the kanji for woman in it, the second stroke of which has been expanded to make space for the two breasts that make her a mama. Likening this sound to a baby nursing at its mother’s breast has afforded some scholars of comparative linguistics a way to explain the presence of the same word across a wide range of language-groups. [5]

友 双 反 収 叔

As a primitive we shall add the meaning of breasts in accord with the explanation given above. Take careful note of the fact that the form is altered slightly when this kanji serves as a primitive, the final two dots joining together to form a longer stroke. An example follows in the next frame.


106

pierce

貫

If one is asked to think of associations for the word pierce, among the first to come to mind is that of piercing one’s ears to hold earrings, a quite primitive form of self-mutilation that has survived into the 21st century. The kanji here is read, top to bottom: mama . . . oyster. All you need to do is imagine piercing an ear so that it can hold a mother-of-pearl (actually, a mama-of-pearl) you have just wrested from an oyster. [11]

只 召


107

elder brother

兄

By now kanji like this one should “look like” something to you even though it is more of an “ideogram” than a “pictograph.” The large mouth on top and the human legs below almost jump off the page as a caricature of elder brother, the one with the big mouth (or if you prefer a kinder image, the one who “has the say” among all the children). [5]

只 召

As a primitive this character will take the meaning of teenager, in accord with the familiar image of the big mouth and the gangling, clumsy legs.


108

curse

呪

For some reason, the inventor of this kanji associated a curse with the mouth of an elder brother. I leave it to you to decide if he is on the giving or receiving end of the sorcery. [8]

鮑 %


109

overcome

克

In this frame we get a chance to use the kanji we just learned in its primitive meaning of teenager. The needle on top indicates one of the major problems confronting the teenager growing up in today’s world: drugs. Many of them will fall under the shadow of the needle at some time during those tender years, but only when a whole generation rises up and decides that “We Shall Overcome” the plague, will the needle cease to hang over their heads, as it does in this character. [7]

叮 右


Lesson 7

In this lesson we turn to primitive elements having to do with quantity. We will also introduce a form known as a “roof,” a sort of overhead “enclosure” that comes in a variety of shapes. But let us begin slowly and not get ahead of ourselves, for it is only after you have mastered the simple forms that the apparently impenetrable complexities of later primitives will dissolve. The primitives we give here will immediately suggest others, on the basis of what we have already learned. Hence the somewhat haphazard order among the frames of this lesson.

110

little

小

The sense of little in this character is not the same as “a little bit.” That meaning comes in the next frame. Here little means “small” or “tiny.” The image is one of three little drops, the first of which (the one in the middle) is written larger so that the kanji has some shape to it. The point of writing it three times is to rub the point in: little, little, nothing but little. [3]

叶 号 司

The primitive of the same shape keeps the same meaning. Written above a horizontal line, its form is slightly altered, the last two strokes turning inwards like this: .


111

few

少

First we need to look at the fourth stroke, the eyedropper at the bottom that leans towards the left. This happens because a single, isolated drop will never appear beneath its relative primitive in its normal size, for fear it would drop off and get lost. As for the meaning, let the eyedropper indicate a further belittling of what is already little—thus making it a few of something little. [4]

叺 吁 吃 各


112

large

大

Here we have a simple pictograph of a person, taking up the space of an entire character and giving it the sense of large. It should not be too hard to locate the two legs and outstretched arms. [3]

合 吉 吊

As a primitive, we need a different meaning, since the element representing the human person will come up later. Therefore, this shape will become a large dog or, if you prefer, a St. Bernard dog. In frame 253 we will explain why this choice was made.


113

many

多

“Many moons ago,” begins much of Amerindian folklore—a colorful way of saying “Once upon a time” and a great deal of help for remembering this kanji. Here we have two moons (three of them would take us back to the beginning of time, which is further than we want to go), lacking the final stroke because they are partially hidden behind the clouds of time. [6]

名 后 吏 吐 向 君


114

evening

夕

Just as the word evening adds a touch of formality or romanticism to the ordinary word “night,” so the kanji for evening takes the ordinary looking moon in the night sky and has a cloud pass over it (as we saw in the last frame). [3]

吝 吟 吠

The primitive keeps the same meaning and connotation as the kanji.


115

eventide

汐

In the next lesson we will meet the character for morning-tide and the element for drops of water. Meantime we have a perfect blend of picture and idea in this kanji to play on the English word for nightfall, eventide: drops of water inching their way up the shore in the evening. [6]

否 吩 含 听 吭 吮


116

outside

外

On the left, the primitive for evening, and on the right, that for the magic wand. Now, as every magician worth his abracadabra knows, bringing your magic wand out into the evening air makes your magic much more powerful than if you were to stay indoors. Hence, evening and magic wand takes you naturally outside. [5]

吹 吼


117

name

名

Perhaps you have heard of the custom, still preserved in certain African tribes, of a father creeping into the tent or hut of his newborn child on the night of the child’s birth, to whisper into its ear the name he has chosen for it, before making his choice public. It is an impressive naming custom and fits in tidily with the way this character is constructed: evening . . . mouth. At evening time, a mouth pronounces the name that will accompany one throughout life. [6]

呀 呈


*

cliff

厂

This primitive means precisely what it looks like: a steep cliff. You can almost see someone standing at the top looking down into the abyss below. [2]

吋 同


118

stone

石

With a mouth under a cliff, what else could we have here but the entrance to a secret cavern, before which a great stone has been rolled so that none may enter. Perhaps it is the hiding place where Ali Baba and his band of thieves have stored their treasures, in which case that magic word known to every school child who ever delighted over the tales of the Arabian Nights should be enough to push the stone aside. But take care—the cliff is steep, and one slip will send you tumbling down into the ravine below. [5]

This is the one and only time that the second stroke in cliff will reach over to the middle of the horizontal stroke. If you think of the edge jutting outwards (in keeping with the story above), the problem should be taken care of.

呉 告 呎 呑 呟

The stone is a quite common primitive element, which is not restricted to great boulders but used of stones or rocks of any size or shape.


119

resemblance

肖

The word resemblance should suggest, among other things, a son’s resemblance to his father. A “chip off the old block” is the way we often put it, but the character is more simple. It speaks of a little bit of flesh. [7]

呰 呶

When used as a primitive, the sense of resemblance is replaced by that of spark or candle. (If you want an explanation: the kanji for moon also carries a secondary sense of fire, which we omitted because we are keeping that meaning for other primitives.)


120

nitrate

硝

The word nitrate should immediately suggest a beaker of nitric acid, which, as every high-school chemistry student knows, can eat its way through some pretty tough substances. Here we imagine pouring it over a rock and watching the sparks fly as it bores a hole through the rock. [12]

咀 咏


121

smash

砕

We begin with the two elements on the right, baseball and needle. Since they will be coming together from time to time, let us give the two of them the sense of a game of cricket in which a needle is laid across the wicket. Then imagine using a rock for a ball. A smash hit would probably splinter the bat in all directions, and a smashing pitch would do the same with the needle wicket. [9]

咤 咨 咫


122

sand

砂

Good sand for beaches has few or no stones in it. That means that all of us whose feet have been spoiled by too much time in shoes don’t have to watch our step as we cavort about. [9]

咸 品


123

jealous

妬

It should not be hard to leap from the key word to the image of a woman who is jealous of the rock that another woman is sporting on the third finger of her left hand. [8]

厰 


124

plane

削

Long before the invention of the carpenter’s plane, people used knives and machetes (or here, sabers) to smooth out their woodwork. If you have ever seen the process, you will have been amazed at the speed and agility with which the adept can plane a hunk of wood into shape. Indeed, you can almost see the sparks fly from their sabers. [9]

員 哥


125

ray

光

There are really only 2 primitives here, little and human legs. The 4th stroke that separates them is added for reasons of aesthetics. (If that doesn’t make sense, try writing the kanji without it and see how ugly the results look, even to your beginner’s eye.)

Now if you have wondered what those little particles of “dust” are that dance around in the light-rays that come through the window and fall on your desk, try imagining them as little and disembodied human legs, and you should have no trouble with this character. [6]

哦 哨 哩 哭 哮 哲


126

plump

太

“Plump” is one of those delightful English words that almost sound like their meaning. No sooner do you hear it than you think of a round and ample-bodied person falling into a sofa like a large drop of oil plopping into a fishbowl—kerrrr-plump! [4]

哺 哽 哿 唄


127

utensil

器

The picture in this kanji is not a pleasant one. It shows a large and fluffy St. Bernard dog stretched out on a table all stuffed and stewed and garnished with vegetables, its paws in the air and an apple in its mouth. At each corner of the table sits an eager but empty mouth, waiting for the utensils to arrive so the feast can begin. [15]

唏 唕 售 唯 唱 唹 啄


128

stinking

臭

This character is a bit friendlier to the animal world than the last one. Our friend the St. Bernard is alive and well, its nose in the air sniffing suspiciously after something stinking somewhere or other. [9]

啖 啝


129

sniff

H

You have seen those scratch-’n-sniff advertisements for perfumes. This one is for a mouthwash that replaces one stinking odor with another. [12]

鮒 鮓


130

exquisite

妙

The primitive for woman is on the left (there and at the bottom of another primitive is where you will always find her), and to the right the element for few. When we refer to a woman as exquisite, we mean to praise her as the sort of person we meet but few and far between.

If you are interested in etymologies, it might help to recall that the Latin phrase lying at the root of the English word exquisite carries this same sense of “seeking out” the rare from the ordinary. [7]

啼 善


131

focus

省

When we think of focusing on something, we usually take it in a metaphorical sense, though the literal sense is not far behind. It means to block out what is nonessential in order to fix our eye on a few important matters. The kanji suggests picking up a few things and holding them before one’s eye in order to focus on them better. [9]

喊 喜


132

thick

厚

When we refer to someone as thick-skinned or thick-headed, we are usually quick to add—even if only under our breath—something about their upbringing. Perhaps it is because deep down we cherish the belief that by nature people are basically tender and sensitive.

Be that as it may, the Japanese character for thick depicts a child abandoned out on the wild cliffs, exposed to the heat of the sun, and thus doomed to develop a head and skin as thick as the parent who left it there. [9]

喝 喞 喩 喬


133

strange

奇

The elements we are given to work with here are St. Bernard dog and can. Lots of phrases pop to mind to attach these words to the key word, but they end up too abstract because of the word can.

It is important in such cases (and there will be plenty of them as we go along) to stick closely to the elements, in this case, mouth and nails. Now all we need do is create a fictitious “Strange But True” column in the Sunday funnies, featuring a St. Bernard whose mouth has been nailed shut because he was hitting the brandy keg around his neck too hard. [8]

営 嗚


Lesson 8

Four basic elements, it was once believed, make up the things of our universe: earth, wind, fire, and water. We have already met the element for wind, and now we shall introduce the others, one by one, in a somewhat longer than usual lesson.

Fortunately for our imaginative memories, these suggestive and concrete primitives play a large role in the construction of the kanji, and will help us create some vivid pictures to untangle some of the complex jumbles of strokes that follow.

134

stream

川

We have taken the image of a river stream over into English to describe things that fall down in straight lines, or ripple along in lines. All of this is more than evident in the kanji given here, a pictograph of a stream. [3]

嗜 嗟 嗣

As a primitive, this character adds to the meaning of stream the more vivid image of a flood. Note, however, that there are certain small changes in the writing of the element, depending on where it appears relative to other elements:

on the left, it is written 川

on the top, it is written 巛

on the bottom, it is written 


135

state

州

Here we see drops of land (little islets) rising up out of a stream, creating a kind of sandbar or breakwater. Ever wonder how the state-line is drawn between states separated by a river? If there were little drops of land as in the kanji, there’d be nothing to it. [6]

嗤 嗷 嗹 嗽 嗾 嘆


136

obey

順

In primitive language, this character would read stream . . . head. And that turns out to be convenient for remembering its meaning of obey. Either one obeys the person who is head of an organization or else obeys by following the stream of opinion (“current” practice, we call it). Both these senses come together in this kanji. [12].

嘸 噂 噌 噴


137

water

水

This character, which looks a bit like a snowflake, is actually a pictograph of water—not any particular body of water or movement of water, but simply the generic name for water. Should you have any difficulty remembering it, simply think of a walking stick being dropped vertically into the water, sending droplets out in all four directions. Then all you need to learn is how to write it in proper order. [4]

噸 噺 嚀 嚆

As a primitive, this character can keep its form, or it can be written with three drops to the left of another primitive, like this: 氵. This latter, as we will see, is far more common.


138

icicle

氷

The appearance of the primitive for water in its full form tells us that we have something to do with water here. The extra drop to the left, added as a second stroke, changes the picture from a splash caused by a walking stick dropped into water to form an icicle.

If it helps, when you hold an icicle up to the light, you can usually see little crystallizations of five-pointed stars inside of it, which is the shape we have in this kanji. [5]

嚇 嚊 嚏 嚔 嚠


139

eternity

永

This kanji also uses the full form of water, though its meaning seems to have nothing at all to do with water. Remember what William Blake said about seeing “infinity in a grain of sand and eternity in an hour”? Well, reading this character from top to bottom, we see “eternity in a drop of water.” [5]

嚢 嚥 嚮 嚴 嚶


140

spring

泉

Call to mind the image of a fresh, bubbling spring of water, and you will probably notice how the top of the spring you are thinking of, the part where the “bubbling” goes on, is all white. Happily, the white is just where it should be, at the top, and the water is at the bottom. [9]

囃 囈 囎 囑 囓

We will keep this image of a spring when using this kanji as a primitive, but not without first drawing attention to a slight change that distinguishes the primitive from the kanji. The final 4 strokes (the element for water) are abbreviated to the three small drops that we learned earlier as the kanji for little, giving us: .


141

gland

腺

Dig into your flesh and pull out a lymph gland. Now give it a squeeze and watch a spring of lymph spout out of it. [13]

鮖 


142

meadow

原

Though the kanji is broad enough to embrace both meanings, the meadow you should imagine here is not a flatland plain but a mountain meadow in the Austrian Alps. (Perhaps the opening scene of “The Sound of Music” will help.) Simply think of little springs bubbling up across the meadow to form a sort of path that leads you right to the brink of a precipitous cliff. Now if you can see Schwester Maria skipping along merrily, dodging in and out of the springs, and then falling headlong over the cliff, you have a ridiculous story that should help fix this kanji in memory. [10]

囘 団 囱


143

petition

願

A meadow and a head are all we are given to work with in the kanji for petition. Since the key word already suggests something like a formal request made of some higher power, let us imagine a gigantic Wizard-of-Oz head located in the middle of the flowery meadow we used in the last frame. Then just picture people kneeling hopefully before it, petitioning for whatever it is they want. (The scarecrow wanted brains, the lion, courage, and the tin man a heart. What about you?) [19]

圉 土


144

swim

泳

The primitive to the left, you will recall from frame 137, represents water. To the right, we see the kanji for eternity. Knowing how much children like swimming, what could be a better image of eternal bliss than an endless expanse of water to swim in without a care in the world? [8]

在 圻


145

marsh

沼

Unlike the meadow with its cliffs, the marshlands are low and near a source of water that feeds them until they get soggy through and through. Why certain land becomes marshy is probably due to the fact that it felt thirsty, and so tried its best to seduce the water over to its side. But, like most inordinate seductions, the last state of the victim is worse than the first. Hence the slushy marsh. [8]

均 坑


146

open sea

沖

This kanji could hardly be simpler. The key word open sea readily suggests being out in the middle of a great body of water. Thinking of it in this way should avoid confusion with the kanji for “open,” which we will meet later on. [7]

坤 坪


147

pan-

汎

The sense of the key word here is the “all-inclusive” we find in terms like “Pan-American Games.” (It is also the character used in mathematics for “partial” as in partial differentials, in case you are a math major and want to take your story in that direction.) Instead of a water sports event that brings together the best talent, think of a meet of the region’s most mediocre athletes, many of whom cannot even tread water. Now try to find a sponsor for the “Pan-Mediocre Water Sports Competition.” [6]

鮗 


148

creek

江

Unlike the river, the ocean, the lake, and the pond, the creek is often no more then a dribble of water trickling down a small gully. While the geological history of the larger bodies of water is hard to surmise sometimes, all of us know from our childhood how creeks are made. You probably even dug one or two in your time. All you need to do is find a mainstream of water somewhere and dig a little path into dry land. The creek is thus a lesson in water-craft, as this kanji would agree. [6]

垈 垓


149

cleanse

汰

This character can mean both to cleanse and to make dirty. We will choose the latter and imagine someone who is displeasingly plump going to a skinny spa whose medicinal waters promise to cleanse him of his unwanted corpulence. Picture him sitting in the spa as the pounds melt away, leaving a greasy scum on top of the water. [7]

鮟 


150

soup

汁

To make soup, one begins with water and then starts adding things to it, often leftovers from the icebox. This is how the thick soup or stew called “seven-in-one” is made. This kanji does it three better, giving us a ten-ingredient soup. [5]

垣 垪


151

grains of sand

沙

We have already learned the kanji for sand (frame 122), so let’s use it to remember the character for grains of sand. Instead of the “few stones” that make for nice sand, here we have a few drops of water, one for each grain of sand—a beach in perfect ecological balance. [7]

鮠 


152

tide

潮

Before we get to explaining this character, take a look at it and see if you can figure out the primitive elements on your own…. On the left is the water—that much is easy. On the right we have only one primitive, the kanji for morning learned back in frame 53. See how an apparently complex kanji falls apart neatly into manageable pieces?

To get the meaning of the key word tide, just think of it in connection with the character for eventide that we learned back in frame 115. Here we have the morning-tide, its complement.

By the way, if you missed the question about the number of primitives, it is probably because you forgot what we said earlier about kanji becoming primitives, independently of the pieces that make them up. As a rule, look for the largest kanji you can write and proceed from there to primitives stranded on their own. [15]

垳 埜


153

source

源

With the advice of the last frame in mind, it is easy to see water and meadow in this character for source. Both in its etymology (it has a common parent with the word “surge”) and in popular usage, source suggests the place water comes from. In this kanji, it is under the meadow, where we just saw it breaking the surface in those bubbly little springs. [13]

埣 堊


154

lively

活

When we speak of a lively personality or a lively party, we immediately think of a lot of chatter. This kanji depicts the idea of lively by having tongues babble and splash around like flowing water. [9]

堙 堰


155

extinguish

消

Among the many things water is useful for is extinguishing fires, and that is just what we have here. First of all, take the water at the left as the drops of water that are used to depict water in general. In the best of all possible worlds, the most efficient way to extinguish a fire would be to see that each drop of water hits one spark of the conflagration. An unthinkable bit of utopian fire fighting, you say to yourself, but helpful for assigning this key word its primitives. [10]

堵 塑


156

but of course

況

This key word is a connector used to link contrasting phrases and sentences together with much the same flavor as the English phrase but of course. Just picture yourself ready to go off on your first date as a teenager, and having your mother grill you about your manners and ask you embarrassing questions about your hygiene. “Did you have a good shower?” “But of course…,” you reply, annoyed. So water and teenager combine to give us but of course. [8]

塗 塢


157

river

河

The character in this frame represents a step up from the stream we met in frame 134; it is a full-sized river. The water to the left tells us what we are dealing with, and the can at the right tells us that our “little engine that could” has now become amphibious and is chugging down the Mighty Mississip’ like a regular riverboat. [8]

塰 境


158

overnight

泊

When you stop at an inn for an overnight rest, all you expect is a bit of water for a wash and a set of clean white sheets to wrap your weary bones in. [8]

増 墫


159

lake

湖

Water . . . old . . . flesh. You have heard of legends of people being abandoned in the mountains when they had become too old to work. Well, here is a legend about people being set adrift in the waters of a stormy lake because their flesh had gotten too old to bear the burdens of life. [12]

墺 壇 壓


160

fathom

測

Connoting the measurement of the depth of water, the key word fathom begins with the water primitive. To its right, we see the compound-primitive for rule (frame 92) which we learned in the sense of a “ruler” or “measure.” Hence, when we rule water we fathom it. What could be simpler? But be careful; its simplicity is deceptive. Be sure to picture yourself fathoming a body of water several hundred feet deep by using a ruler of gargantuan proportions. [12]

壘 壮


161

soil

土

I don’t like it any more than you do, but this kanji is not the pictograph it is trumped up to be: a mound of soil piled on the ground. All I can recommend is that you memorize it as it is. Anyway, it will be occurring with such frequency that you have almost no chance of forgetting it, even if you try. [3]

壯 声 壱

As a primitive, the sense of soil is extended to that of ground because of its connection with the kanji for the same (frame 554). From there it also takes the added meanings of dirt and land.


162

spit

吐

We have here a rather small mouth (it is always compressed when set on the left) next to a much larger piece of dirt. It is not hard to imagine what you might do if you got a mouth full of dirt. As least I know what I would do: spit it out as fast and far as I could! [6]

壹 壼


163

pressure

圧

One of the things that causes the erosion of soil is the excessive pressure of the topsoil on the lower soil. This can be caused by any number of things from heavy rainfall to heavy buildings to the absence of sufficient deep-rooted vegetation to hold the layers together. Here we see a steep cliff without a tree in sight. The slightest pressure on it will cause a landslide, which, with a little help from your imagination, you will be able to see happening in this character. [5]

夂 夋


164

cape

埼

The cape pictured here is a jut of land like Cape Cod. The soil on the left tells us we have to do with land, and the strange on the right tells us it is a cape where unusual things go on. Put a haunted house on it, an eerie sky overhead, and a howling wind rustling through the trees, and you have yourself a picture of Cape Strange (or, if you prefer, Cape Odd). [11]

外 大


165

hedge

垣

The hedge depicted in this frame is not your ordinary run-of-the-suburbs shrubbery, but the miraculous hedge of briar roses that completely spanned the castle grounds in which Sleeping Beauty lay for a hundred years, so that none but her predestined beloved could find his way through it. [9]

夫 夳


166

inlay

填

When we hear the word inlay, we usually think of setting precious stones in pieces of jewelery, but the primitive elements here suggest truth being inlaid in the soil. You might think instead of the cosmic wisdom that inlaid the truth of the universe in the stuff of the earth. [13]

鮨 


167

squared jewel

圭

Now I am going to do something unusual. The character in this frame is going to get one meaning and the primitive another, with no relation at all between the two. In time, I hope you will see how helpful this is.

The kanji key word, squared jewel, depicts a mammoth precious stone, several feet high, made by piling up large heaps of soil on top of one another. Not something you would want to present your betrothed on your wedding day, but a good image for remembering this rare character, used chiefly in personal names nowadays. [6]

夸 夾 奄 奇 奈 奉

As a primitive, we shall use this character to mean ivy, that creepy vegetation that covers the surface of the ground to form a sort of “second” ground that can get somewhat tricky to walk on without tripping.


168

seal

封

Think of the key word seal as referring to a letter you have written and are preparing to close. Instead of using the traditional wax seal, you glue a sprig of ivy on the outside. In this way the elements ivy and glue give you a curious and memorable way to seal your secret letters. [9]

奔 奘


169

horizon

涯

After seeing a constant horizon of water, water everywhere for months at sea, could there be anything more delightful to the eyes than to look astern and see the ivy-clad cliffs of land on a new horizon? Of course, you’d need the eyes of a stellar telescope to recognize that the vegetation was in fact ivy, but the phrase “ivy-clad cliffs” has such a nice ring to it that we won’t worry about such details. [11]

奝 奢 奪


170

Buddhist temple

寺

You have heard of people “attaching” themselves to a particular sect? Here is your chance to take that metaphor literally and imagine some fellow walking into a Buddhist temple with a fervent resolve to attach himself to the place. Since there is plenty of unused land around the precincts, he simply picks out a suitable patch, brushes the soles of his feet with glue, steps down firmly, and so joins the Buddhist temple as a “permanent member.” [6]

女 好


171

time

時

“What is time?” asked St. Augustine in his memoirs. “Ask me not, and I know. Ask me, and I cannot tell you.” Here we have the kanji’s answer to that perennial riddle. Time is a sun rising over a Buddhist temple. It sounds almost like a Zen kōan whose repetition might yield some deep secret to the initiated. At any rate, imagining a monk seated in meditation pondering it might help us remember the character. [10]

妄 妛


172

level

均

The level this key word refers to is not the carpenter’s tool but rather the even surface of a thing. It pictures soil being scooped up into a ladle and then made level (apparently because one is measuring soil). The excess drops of soil are brushed off the top, which accounts for the added drop at the ladle’s edge. [7]

妤 妬 妲


173

fire

火

Just as sitting before a fire enlivens the imagination and lets you see almost anything you want to in the flames, this kanji is so simple it lets you see almost any sort of fire you want to see. It no longer makes a good pictograph, but I invite you to take a pencil and paper and play with the form—first writing it as shown below and then adding lines here and there—to see what you can come up with. Everything from matchbooks to cigarette lighters to volcanic eruptions to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah have been found here. No doubt you, too, will find something interesting to bend your memory around these four simple strokes. [4]

妹 妺 妻 妾

To avoid confusion later on, it is best to keep to the meaning of a fireplace (or hearth) or a raging conflagration like a forest fire for this kanji’s primitive meaning. Another primitive element for fire, based on this one, is written 灬 and will mean flames, cauldron, cooking fire, or an oven fire.


174

inflammation

炎

A fire belongs in the hearth, not over it. When the fire spreads to the rest of the house, we have an inflamed house. And as with any inflammation—including those that attack our bodies—the danger is always that it might spread if not checked. This is the sense behind the reduplication of the element for fire, one atop the other [8]

姆 姉 始 姍 姑 姓 委 姙


175

anxiety

煩

The existential condition of anxiety that arises from the inevitable frustration of our worldly passions is contained in this character. The head is set afire, causing deep torment of spirit (and a whopper of a headache). [13]

姚 姜 姥 姦 娉


176

thin

淡

The primitives in this kanji read: water . . . inflammation. Taking inflammation in its medical sense, the first water-related inflammation that pops into mind is dehydration, the principal symptom of which is that it makes one shrivel up and look very, very thin. If that is hard to remember, try thinking it backwards: a very thin chap passes by and you imagine him suffering from (being inflamed with) dehydration (hence the element for water). [11]

娚 娶


177

lamp

灯

Since it is very hard to read by the fireplace without going blind from the flickering of the flames or burning up from the heat, our ancestors invented a way to nail down a bit of that fire, just enough to light up the text of their evening newspapers and no more. Voilà! The lamp. [6]

婆 婚


178

farm

畑

Looking at the primitives, a fireplace and a rice field, we find the essential ingredients for a farm: a warm hearth to sit by at night, and a well-plowed field to grow one’s crops in by day. [9]

婬 媼


179

disaster

災

Of all of nature’s disasters, this kanji picks out two of the worst: floods and fires. To recall the disposition of the elements, think of nature’s solution to nature’s own problem: a great flood pouring down over a great forest fire. [7]

媽 媾 嫁 嫌


180

ashes

灰

The kanji for ashes naturally includes the primitive for fire, or more specifically, a fireplace. Now what do you do with that bucket of ashes you have just cleaned out of the fireplace? You walk to the edge of a cliff and tip it upside down, watching as they are swept away in the wind like a swarm of gray mosquitoes. Thus the fire, once it has turned to ashes, ends up at the bottom of the cliff. [6]

嫖 嫦


181

spot

点

If you look into the flickering of a fire for a long time and then turn aside, you will see spots before your eyes. Although nobody ever thought of such a thing before—as least as far as I know, they didn’t—imagine using those spots as a technique for fortune-telling. The old witch sits before her cauldron and watches the spots that show up when she turns to look at you, and from that tells your fortune. Think of it as a kind of spot-check on your future. [9]

嬋 嬌 嬖 嬢 嬪


182

illuminate

照

Although the range of possible meanings that the kanji for illuminate can have is about as rich as the connotations of the English word, we need to focus on just one of them: to make something shine. If you glaze a pot and put it into the oven to fire it, you in fact illuminate it. Hence the kanji for illuminate compares the kanji for shining with the primitive element for the oven’s fire. [13]

嬶 子 孖


183

fish

魚

The composition of this kanji shows three elements, which we list in the order of their writing: bound up . . . rice field . . . cooking fire. Not much to work with at first sight. But we can join them together by thinking of a three-part story: first a fish is caught and bound up on a line with its unfortunate school-mates; when the fisherman gets home, he cuts off the head and tosses it, with the entrails, out into the rice fields for fertilizer; and the rest he sets in a skillet over a cooking fire for his supper. [11]

料 斤 斬


184

fishing

漁

To the story we have just made about fish, this kanji for the profession of fishing adds yet another element before the others: namely the water, where the fish was happily at home before being caught, disemboweled, and eaten. Be sure to get a clear image of the water when you put it all together. [14]

新 旌


Lesson 9

Although the study of the four basic elements undertaken in the last lesson brought us a lot of new characters—51 in all—we have only scratched the surface as far as water, earth, wind, and fire are concerned. Perhaps by now it is clear why I said at the beginning of this lesson that we are lucky that they appear so frequently. The range of images they suggest is almost endless.

In this chapter our focus will be on a few new “roof” and “enclosure” primitives. But first, a primitive-kanji that we might have included in the last group but omitted so as not to be distracted from the four elements. With just that one element we can pick up no less than 7 new kanji with no trouble at all.

185

ri

里

That’s right—a ri. Don’t bother looking it up in your English dictionary; it’s a Japanese word for measuring distances. One ri is about 4 kilometers or 2.5 miles. The kanji depicts how the measure came to be used. Atop we see the rice field, and below the element for land. Those four sections you see in the rice field (and which we made mention of when first we introduced the character in frame 14) are actually measurements of land, much the same as farm-sections in the United States have given us the notion of a “country mile.” The land division based on the size of a rice field is called a ri. [7]

字 存 孚 孛 孜 孝 孟

To get a more concrete primitive meaning for this kanji, we shall refer to it as a computer, a meaning deriving from the kanji for logic, which we will meet in Lesson 12.


186

black

黒

Like most things electrical, a computer, too, can overheat. Just imagine flames pouring out of it and charring the keyboard, the monitor, and your desk a sooty black color. [11]

孵 學


187

black ink

墨

Besides meaning black ink, this kanji also appears in the word for an inked string that is pulled taut and snapped to mark a surface, much the same as one might used a chalked string. Here it is used to mark off the dirt with black lines for a football game (played, I presume, on a white field). [14]

宏 官


188

carp

鯉

These are the same carp you see in Japanese “carp streamers.” Only here we find a small home computer or two strung on the line by a father anxious for his son not only to have the courage and determination of a carp swimming upstream, but also the efficiency and memory of a computer. Ugh. [18]

宨 宸


189

quantity

量

Think of quantity as having to do with measuring time and distance, and the rest is simple: you have a quantity of time in the new day that begins with nightbreak, and a quantity of distance in the rural ri. [12]

寂 寃 寐


190

rin

厘

No doubt you will find it in your heart to forgive me for forcing yet another Japanese word on you in this frame. It is not the last time it will happen in this book, but I can assure you they are used only when absolutely necessary.

One rin is equal to about 1/1000 of a yen—or rather was worth that much when it still made economic sense to mint them. While inflation took its toll on this kanji as a monetary unit, it survived with the not at all surprising sense of something “very, very tiny.”

The kanji shows a cliff with a computer under it, apparently because it has been pushed over into the abyss by someone fed up with the thing. The total market value of one home computer that has fallen over rock and bramble for several hundred feet: about one rin! [9]

寓 寡


191

bury

埋

When we speak of burying something (or someone, for that matter), we usually mean putting them under ground. Only here, we are burying our beloved computer that has served us so well these past years. Behind us a choir chants the “Dies irae, dies illa” and there is much wailing and grief among the bystanders as they pass by to shovel a little dirt into what will be its final resting place. R.I.P. [10]

寥 寮


Before going any further, we might pause a moment to look at precisely where the primitive elements were placed in the kanji of the last frame: the ground to the left and the computer to the right. Neither of these is an absolutely fixed position. The kanji for spit (frame 162), for instance, puts ground on the right, and that for plains (frame 1722) will put the computer on the left. While there is no reason to bother memorizing any “rules,” a quick glance through a few general guidelines may help. Use them if they help; if not, simply adjust the story for a problem character in such a way as to help you remember the position of the elements relative to one another.

In any case, here are the guidelines that follow from the kanji treated up to this point:

  1. Many kanji used regularly as primitives have a “strong” position or two from which they are able to give a basic “flavor” to the character. For example, ground at the left (or bottom) usually indicates something to do with earth, soil, land, and the like; fire at the bottom in the form of the four dots, or at the left in its compressed kanji form, usually tells us we have to do with heat, passion, and the like; a mouth at the left commonly signifies something to do with eating, coughing, spitting, snoring, screaming, and so forth. Where these elements appear elsewhere in the kanji, they do not have the same overall impact on its meaning as a rule.
  2. Some primitive elements always have the same position in a kanji. We saw this earlier in the case of the primitive meaning head (frame 64) and that for the long saber (frame 87), as well as in the three drops of water (frame 137).
  3. Enclosures like cliff (see frame 118) and bound up (frame 67) are always set above whatever it is they enclose. Others, as we shall see later, “wrap up” a kanji from the bottom.
  4. All things being equal, the element with the fewer strokes (usually the more common element) has first rights to the “strong” position at the left or bottom. (Note that the left and bottom cannot both be the dominant position in the same character. Either one or the other of them will dominate, usually the left.) The characters for nitrate (frame 120) and chant (frame 21) illustrate the point.

*

hood

冂

In addition to the basic meaning of hood, this shape can be used for a glass canopy, such as that used to serve “pheasant under glass.” Note its difference from the element for wind: the second stroke is hooked inwards here. To help remember this detail, think of the wind as blowing “out” and a glass canopy as keeping something “in.” Among the related images suggested by this primitive are: a monk’s cowl, a riding hood, a helmet, and an automobile hood. [2]

寰 寳


192

same

同

The primitives given are one and mouth under a hood. Take the key word to connote the sameness that characterizes the life in a community of monks. They all have the same habits, including the “habit” they wear on their backs. Here we see the monk’s cowl, drawn down over the eyes so that all you can see when you look at him is a mouth. But since monks also speak their prayers in common, it is but a short step to think of one mouth under a hood as the kanji for the sameness of monastic life. [6]

寶 寸 寿

As a primitive, this kanji will mean monks dressed in a common habit.


193

den

洞

The key word den refers to an animal lair hollowed out in the side of a mountain. Now if we keep to the image of the monastic life as an image for same, we can picture a den of wild beasts dressed up in habits and living the common life in a mountain cavern. To bring in the element of water we need only give them a sacred “puddle” in the center of their den, the focus of all their pious attentions. [9]

射 尊


194

trunk

胴

The word trunk refers to the part of the body that is left when you have “truncated” all the limbs. I can hardly think of any reason for doing so, unless one were lumberjacking corpses and needed to have them all properly pruned and made the same so they could be floated downstream without causing a body-jam. [10]

小 尠


195

yonder

向

Something referred to as “over yonder” is usually far off in the distance and barely within sight—like a wee drop in the distance—and is usually an expression used in giving directions or pointing something out. Hence this kanji begins with a drop. Then we find a sort of transparent helmet with no eyes or nose, but only a prominent mouth under it, obviously an extraterrestrial. And what is it jabbering on about with its mouth open like that? Why, about his spaceship way over yonder with its fuel tank on empty. [6]

尢 尨 尸


196

esteem

尚

Above we see the primitive for little attached to one of those glass canopies you might use to display a family heirloom. The littleness is important, because what is in fact on display is the shrunken, stuffed, and mounted mouth of an esteemed ancestor. We may be used to esteeming the words our forebears leave behind, but here we also esteem the very mouth that spoke them. I leave it to you to imagine a suitable place in your room for displaying such an unusual conversation piece. [8]

尻 尽 局


*

house

宀

This extremely useful primitive element depicts the roof of a house. You can see the chimney at the top and the eaves on either side without much trouble. It is a “crown” element, which means that it is invariably set atop other things. Examples follow immediately. [3]

屁 居 屆


197

character

字

Here is the character for character itself. Not just kanji, but any written character from hieroglyphs to Sanskrit to our own Roman alphabet. It shows us simply a child in a house. But let us take advantage of the double meaning of the key word to note that just as a child born to a Japanese house is given characters for its name, so it is also stamped with the character of those who raise it from infancy on. [6]

屈 届 屋 屍 屎 屏


198

guard

守

The notion of guarding something easily brings to mind the image of someone standing guard, like the royal soldiers in front of Buckingham Palace or the Pope’s Swiss Guard. The whole idea of hiring guards is that they should stick like glue to your house to protect it from unwanted prowlers. So go ahead and glue a guard to your house in imagination. [6]

屓 屠


199

perfect

完

In order not to confuse the key word perfect with others nearly synonymous in meaning, pull it apart to have a look at its native Latin roots. Per-factum suggests something so “thoroughly made or done” that nothing more needs to be added to it. Now look at the kanji, which does something similar. We see a house that has been made perfectly from its beginnings in the foundation to the roof on the top. Now return to frame 101 and make sure not to confuse this key word with the kanji for complete. [7]

履 山


200

proclaim

宣

Under the primitive for house we meet the kanji for span. Think of the key word in its religious sense of missionary preaching: “proclaiming the good news to all nations” and “shouting it from the housetops.” That should be enough to help you remember this simple kanji, used in fact both for traditional missionary work as well as for one of its contemporary replacements: advertising. [9]

岌 岨


201

wee hours

宵

As the key word hints, the kanji in this frame refers to the late evening or early morning hours, well after one should be in bed asleep. It does this by picturing a house with a candle in it. The reason is obvious: whoever is living there is “burning the candle at both ends,” and working night after night into the wee hours. [10]

岬 岻


202

relax

安

To be told that the place of the woman is in the house may not sit well with modern thought, but like all cultural habits the Chinese characters bear the birthmarks of their age. So indulge yourself in a Norman Rockwell image of relaxing after a hard day’s work: the scruffy and weary woman of the house slouched asleep in the living room chair, her hair in curlers and a duster lying in her lap. [6]

峅 峠


203

banquet

宴

To carry on from the last frame, we note the entire day of work that comes between a woman and her house in preparing for a dinner banquet, pictorially “interrupting” her relaxation. [10]

峩 峰 峺


204

draw near

寄

Let the idea of drawing near suggest something dangerous or eerie that one approaches with fear and trembling. Here we see a strange house—perhaps the haunted House of Usher that Edgar Allen Poe immortalized, or the enchanted Gingerbread House that lured Hansel and Gretel to draw near. [11]

崇 崘


205

wealth

富

Here we have the original character on which the primitive element for wealth is based. In keeping with the story introduced back then, note how all the wealth is kept under the roof of the same house. [12]

崛 嵐


206

savings

貯

To avoid confusing this frame with the last one, try to think of savings as actual money. The only difference is that our currency is not paper bills but shells, a not uncommon unit of exchange in older civilizations. The nail under the roof of the house points to a hiding place in the rafters on which one strings up one’s shells for safekeeping. [12]

嶄 嶌 嶝


Lesson 10

Of the several primitive elements that have to do with plants and grasses, we introduce two of the most common in this lesson: trees and flowers. In most cases, as we shall see, their presence in a “strong” position (in this case, to the left and at the top, respectively) helps give a meaning to the kanji. Where this is not the case, we shall do our best to make it so.

207

tree

木

Here we see a pictograph of a tree, showing the main trunk in the long vertical stroke and the boughs in the long horizontal stroke. The final two strokes sweep down in both directions to indicate the roots. Although it may look similar at first sight to the kanji for water (frame 137), the order in which it is written is completely different and this affects its final appearance. [4]

嵒 嵓 嵜 嵩

As a primitive, this kanji can mean tree or wood. When the last two strokes are detached from the trunk (), we shall change its meaning to pole, or wooden pole.


208

grove

林

Learn this frame in connection with the next one. A grove is a small cluster of trees. Hence the simple reduplication of the kanji for tree gives us the grove. [8]

嶢 嶬 嶮 嶷 嶼


209

forest

森

A forest is a large expanse of trees, or “trees, trees everywhere,” to adopt the expression we used back in frames 22 and 23. [12]

巍 巖 巡


210

Japanese Judas-tree

桂

Unless you are a botanist, you are not likely to know what a Japanese Judas-tree looks like, and probably never even heard of it before, but the name is sufficiently odd to make remembering it easy. Using the primitives as our guide, we define it as a tree with ivy growing down its branches in the shape of a hangman’s rope. [10]

巧 巳


211

oak

柏

This kanji calls to mind the famous myth of the “golden bough.” As you may recall, what made the sacred oak in the forest of Diana the Huntress outside of Rome “golden” were the white berries of the mistletoe that grew in the branches of the tree. When the light of the sun shone through them, they turned yellow and the branch to which they clung appeared to be made of gold. (If you don’t know the story, take a break today and hunt it down in a dictionary of myth and fable. Even if you forget the kanji—which, of course, you won’t—the story of the mistletoe and the fate it brought to Balder the Beautiful is one you are sure to remember.) [9]

巻 帆


212

frame

枠

You might think of the frame this character refers to as the sort of frame we have created by drawing a dark line around this kanji and its explanation. Then think of that line as made of very thin wood; and finally note how each time the line bends it forms a 90° angle, thus giving us the nine and the ten. [8]

帖 帚 帝


213

treetops

梢

As the days grow shorter and shorter, or so the northern European myth goes, the fear grows that the sun will take its leave of us altogether, abandoning the world to total darkness. Fixing candles to the branches of evergreen trees, it was believed, would lure the sun back (like things attracting like things), whence the custom of the lighted tree that eventually found its way into our Christmas customs. The story is a lot longer and more complex than that, but it should help to fix the image of climbing high up into the treetops to fix candles on the tree. [11]

帯 幀


214

shelf

棚

One often thinks of books as “good companions,” but here it is the shelf we store them on that is the companion. The reasons should be obvious: it is made of the same stuff, wood, and spends a lot more time with them than we do! Here again, be careful not to let the rationality of the explanation get in the way before you turn it into a proper story. [12]

幇 幢


215

apricot

杏

Since apricots can be eaten just as they fall from the trees, picture this mouth agape at the bottom of a tree (just as the elements have it), waiting for apricots to fall into it. [7]

平 并


216

paulownia

桐

Since you probably don’t know what a paulownia tree is, we shall let the key word suggest the phrase “the Little Brothers of St. Paulownia.” It is a short step to associate the tree with the monks to its right. (For the curious, the name of this oriental tree really comes from a Russian princess, Anna Pavlovna.) [10]

幻 広


217

plant

植

You have no doubt seen how people practicing the Japanese art of bonsai take those helpless little saplings and twist them into crippled dwarves before they have a chance to grow up as they should. The more proper way to plant a young tree and give it a fair shake in life is to set it into the earth in such a way that it can grow up straight—and straightaway. [12]

序 座


218

chair

椅

Instead of making a chair out of wood from a tree, this kanji has us making the whole tree into a chair, which looks most strange sitting in your living room where the sofa used to be. [12]

鮪 


219

wither

枯

What makes a tree begin to wither up, and perhaps even die, is a kind of arteriosclerosis that keeps its sap from flowing freely. Usually this is due to simple old age, as this character shows us. Be sure to picture a wrinkled old tree, withering away in a retirement center so that the commonsense explanation does not take over. [9]

庶 廃


220

crude

朴

As all magicians who have passed their apprenticeship know, one makes one’s wand out of a hazel branch and is careful not to alter the natural form of the wood. For the magic of the wand derives its power from its association with the hidden laws of nature, and needs therefore to be kept in its crude, natural state. [6]

廏 廓


221

town

村

The character for village was associated with rice fields (frame 96). That for town, a step up on the evolutionary path to cities, shows a circle of trees glued together to measure off the confines of a town. [7]

廝 廡


222

inter-

相

The prefix inter- stirs up associations of cooperation among people. From there we read off the elements: tree . . . eye. With only a slight leap of the imagination, those two words call to mind the scriptural proverb about first taking the block of timber out of one’s own eye before helping your neighbors remove the splinters in their eyes. What more useful rule for inter-human relationships, and what more useful tool for remembering this kanji! [9]

廩 廴


223

desk

机

We need to fix imagination here on two things to learn the kanji for desk: the wonderful rough wood of which it has been hewn and the wind that blows across it, sending your papers flying all over the room. These two elements, written in that order, dictate how to write the character. [6]

建 廼


224

book

本

Recalling that books are made of paper, and paper made of trees, one might think of a book as a slice of a tree. Can you see the “cross-cut” in the trunk of the tree? Picture it as a chain-saw cutting you out a few books with which to start your own private library. [5]

弃 弄


225

tag

札

The tags you see hanging on trees in public places in Japan are helpful to identify what sort of trees they are. Next time you see one, imagine the bit of wire that fixes the tag to the branch as a large fishhook. really imagine it, illogical as it is, and you will never have trouble with this kanji again. [5]

弌 弍


226

calendar

暦

Look at this character in reverse order, from bottom up. First we see the primitive for days, an appropriate enough way to begin a calendar. Next we see a grove of trees growing under a cliff. The laws of nature being what they are, the trees would be stunted under such conditions, unless they were strong enough to keep growing upwards until they passed through the layers of rock and soil, right up to the surface. Now imagine that in those little boxes marking off the days on your wall calendar, you see that very process taking place step by step: 365 or so time-lapse pictures of that grove of trees each month, from January under the cliff to December on top of the cliff. The story is not as complex as it sounds, particularly if you happen to have a calendar nearby and can flip through it with this image in mind. [14]

弐 弛 弦


227

plan

案

Without much effort, the elements relax . . . tree suggest a hammock strung between two trees in your backyard, and you stretched out in it, hands folded behind your head, planning something or other. After all, it’s something we all do from time to time: kick up our legs on the nearest piece of furniture and daydream about the best plan of action to take. Be sure to relate the relaxation to the tree, so that you don’t end up with something else in its place (like “legs” or “desk” or “table”). [10]

弱 弼


228

parch

燥

Parchment, made from animal skins, was the most common form of writing material used until the beginning of the nineteenth century. When paper took over, a method was devised to make artificial parchment from wood pulp. The fire at the left and in the “strong” position reminds us of the root word, “parch,” since nothing dries, puckers, wrinkles, and scorches quite like fire. And here is how we put it all together. Take a sheet of paper (a “wood-good,”), wet it, and hold it over a hearth in your mind’s eye. Now watch as it parches the paper, leaving it with a strange and bumpy surface resembling parchment. [17]

彈 彜 彦


229

not yet

未

As the key word suggests, this kanji has to do with something not quite over and done with. More concretely, it shows us a tree that is not yet fully grown. The extra short stroke in the upper branches shows new branches spreading out, leaving one with the feeling that the tree has a ways to go yet before it reaches maturity. In other words, the kanji conveys its meaning pictographically, playing on the earlier pictograph of the tree. [5]

彧 彩 彪 彫 彬


230

extremity

末

This character is best learned in connection with that of the previous frame. The first stroke shows a branch that is longer than the main branch, indicating that the tree has reached the extremity of its growth, so that its branches stop spreading and start drooping downwards. Be sure to keep this imagery in mind, to avoid confusing this key word with synonyms that will appear later. [5]

彭 彰 影 彳 彷


231

obscure

昧

The most obscure ideas are those that the sun of reason has not yet dawned on. Be sure to give the sun a professorial demeanor, complete with spectacles and a pipe. [9]

鮭 


232

splash

沫

The splash this kanji refers to is the dash of water against the rocks, with all the foam and spray that this creates. If you think of a splash in this sense as a wave that has run its full course and reached its extremity, namely the seashore, and if you think of it pictorially in your mind’s eye, this somewhat rare (but oh-so-easy-to-learn) kanji is yours for good. [8]

彿 径


233

flavor

味

When a tree has not yet finished growing, it produces fruit with a full flavor. When the official taster (the professional mouth to the left) determines that full flavor has been reached, the tree is pruned back so that it remains permanently not yet grown. A neat little agricultural trick and an easy way to see the sense of flavor hidden in this character. [8]

很 徑


234

younger sister

妹

The younger sister in the family is the woman in the family who, like the newest branch in a tree, is not yet old enough or mature enough to do everything the elder sister can do (see frame 442). [8]

得 御


235

vermilion

朱

That red-orange color we call vermilion is found in nature during the fall when the leaves lose their sugar and begin to change color. This kanji depicts the very last leaf on a tree in the fall (the drop hung in the first stroke), the leaf that has not yet fallen as it one day must. Look at its color—vermilion. (Well, not really. The truth is, vermilion is made from a mercuric sulfide, but I’m sure you will agree that autumn leaves are a lot easier to work with.) [6]

徨 復 循 徭 微 徳


236

stocks

株

The stocks bought and sold on the market by the tens of millions each day get their name from a comparison to a healthy tree, in which one takes “stock” in the hopes that it will grow and produce more and more trees like itself. Usually good stocks are referred to as “blue chip,” but here we are asked to associate the key word with the color vermilion, perhaps because one can assess the value of a tree from the color of its autumn leaves. [10]

徼 忖


*

flower

艹

We are not yet equipped with all the pieces necessary to learn the character for flower, so shall have to content ourselves here with the first three strokes, which represent the primitive of the same meaning. Concentrate on the actual “bloom” of the flower, and keep a particular flower in mind. Try a rose, a tulip, or a daisy, since none of them will have their own kanji. Think about it well, since once you have decided on your flower of choice, you will be using it in a rather large number of stories later on. [3]

志 忘 忙


237

young

若

Here we see a flower held in the right hand. You can imagine yourself in a magic garden where flowers picked with the right hand grant eternal youth; and those picked with the left, premature senility. Go ahead, pick one with each hand and watch what happens. [8]

応 忝 忞 忠 忤 忱


238

grass

草

Perhaps you know the custom of seeding grass randomly or in some particular pattern with the flower called the crocus, which blooms for a few days each year in early spring. As the grass begins to turn green again after winter has passed, these tiny flowers dot up here and there. Now just look out your window at a patch of grass somewhere and think what a nice idea it would be to have your name spelled out in flowers once as a sort of early harbinger of spring. [9]

忻 怒


239

suffering

苦

The picture of suffering we are given here is that of a flower that has grown old. When a flower ages, it pales and dries up, and probably even suffers. If you think that plants are incapable of such feelings, then ask yourself why so many people believe that talking to their flowers helps them bloom better. [8]

怙 怡


240

bullying

苛

A nosegay of flowers make a nice gift, but if those flowers are poison oak, they can amount to bullying. Be sure to emphasize the word can when you repeat this little phrase to yourself. [8]

鮮 


241

tolerant

寛

The house of flowers or “hothouse” has become a metaphor for a narrow-minded, biased, and intolerant attitude distrustful of change. Tolerance, in contrast, is open-minded and welcomes novelty. The way to encourage tolerance in those who lack it is first to have them see through their own hothouse attitudes, which is the very counsel we are given in this kanji. [13]

性 怪 恃


242

dilute

薄

Take a good look at this kanji: the “strong” element here is really the flower, not the water as you might have thought on first glance. To the right is the acupuncturist from frame 48. Taking the key word to connote diluting the vital humors of the body, we can imagine our acupuncturist performing his task with flowers in place of needles, and using their hollow stems to pipe water into the body of the patient. [16]

恒 恚 恪


243

leaf

葉

Three elements are given here: flower . . . generation . . . tree. The first and last seem logical enough, since it is the leaf that feeds the flowers on a tree. The element for generation interposed between the two suggests that the movement of a tree from one generation to the next is like its “turning over a new leaf.” [12]

恭 悁 悉


*

graveyard

莫

The element shown here should be taken to represent a modern graveyard. Gone are the cobwebs and gnarled trees, the tilted headstones and dark, moonless nights that used to scare the wits out of our childhood imaginations. Instead, we see brightly colored flowers placed before the tombstones, the sun shining gloriously overhead, and a cuddly St. Bernard sitting at the gate keeping watch. [10]

悌 悖 悛


244

imitation

模

Ah, but haven’t modern graveyards become a parody of their ancestors! The flowers are plastic, the writing on the stones is unimaginative and cold, and the whole thing looks more like a marble orchard than a right and proper graveyard. This kanji continues with the modernization trend by picturing imitation trees in the graveyard. But of course, how convenient! They don’t need pruning or fertilizing, their leaves don’t fall, and they remain the same color all year long. [14]

悦 悼


245

vague

漠

Think of the key word as having to do with something viewed through a haze, or in the twilight and from a distance, so that only its outlines are vaguely discernible. Now we are back again to the essence of the true graveyard. The water may be taken as the sound of waves dashing up against the rocks or the dripping of moisture on cold rock—anything that helps you associate vagueness with the graveyard and keep it distinct from the imitation we met in the last frame. [13]

惆 惠


246

grave

墓

The mounds of soil with crude wooden crosses set at their head suggests those boot-hill graves we all know from cowboy lore. The only odd thing about this kanji is that the soil comes under the graveyard, rather than to its left, where we might expect. Just think of the bodies as “lying under boot-hill” if you have any trouble.

By the way, this is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that we learn a kanji whose key word is the same, or almost the same, as a primitive element based on it, but whose shape differs somewhat. There is no cause to worry. By using the primitive in a variety of other characters, as we have done here, the confusion will be averted as a matter of course. In most cases, as here, the primitive element is taken from a part of the fuller kanji. [13]

惶 惺


247

livelihood

暮

Imagine that you have chosen the occupation of the keeper of a graveyard and spend your days tending to other’s deadhood in order to make your means of livelihood. [14]

意 


248

membrane

膜

The part of the body first affected by a stroll through a haunted graveyard is the skin, which gets goose bumps. But we save the word “skin” for another kanji, and use the odd word “membrane” here. Think of being so scared through and through that the goose flesh moves from the outside in, giving you goose membranes. [14]

愧 慂


249

seedling

苗

To avoid confusion with the image of rice seedlings to appear later, we shall take these seedlings out of their agricultural setting in the rice fields and into the frame of Brave New World surgery, where “ideas” or “values” are being implanted into brains like seedlings to insure a harmonious society. Then you need only imagine them taking root and breaking out into flower right through the tops of the skulls of people walking around on the streets. [8]

慈 慎


Lesson 11

Now that we have made our way through nearly 250 characters, it is time to pause and consider how you are getting on with the method introduced in this book. While this lesson will be a short one (only 15 new kanji) you might want to spend some time reviewing your progress in the light of the remarks that follow. In them I have tried to draw out the main principles that have been woven into the fabric of the text from frame to frame and lesson to lesson. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to single out some of the typical problems that can arise:

If you can remember the key word when you see the kanji, but have trouble remembering the kanji when you have only the key word to go on…

Probably you did not take seriously the advice about studying these stories with a pad and pencil. If you try to shortcut the process by merely learning to recognize the characters for their meaning without worrying about their writing, you will find that you have missed one bird with two stones, when you could have bagged two with one. Let me repeat: study only from key word to kanji; the reverse will take care of itself.

If you find yourself having to go back to a kanji, once you have written it, to make corrections or additions…

My guess is that you are asking your visual memory to do the work that belongs to imaginative memory. After Lesson 12, you will be given more leeway to create your own images and stories, so it is important that you nip this problem in the bud before going any further. A small step in the wrong direction on a journey of 2,200 kanji will land you in deep trouble in no time. Here are the steps you should be following each time you come to a new frame:

  1. Read the key word and take note of the particular connotation that has been given it. There is only one such meaning, sometimes associated with a colloquial phrase, sometimes with one of the several meanings of the word, sometimes with a well-known cultural phenomenon. Think of that connotation and repeat it to yourself. When you’re sure you’ve got the right one, carry on.
  2. Read through the particular little story that goes with the key word and let the whole picture establish itself clearly.
  3. Now close your eyes, focus on those images in the story that belong to the key word and primitive elements, and let go of the controls. It may take a few seconds, sometimes as long as a minute, but the picture will start to change on its own. The exaggerated focal points will start to take on a life of their own and enhance the image with your own particular experiences and memories. You will know your work is done when you have succeeded in creating a memorable image that is both succinct and complete, both faithful to the original story and yet your very own.
  4. Open your eyes and repeat the key word and primitive elements, keeping that image in mind. This will clear away any of the fog, and at the same time make sure that when you let go you didn’t let go of the original story, too.
  5. In your mind, juxtapose the elements relative to one another in line with your image or the way they normally appear in the characters.
  6. Take pencil and paper and write the character once, retelling the story as you go.

These are basically the same steps you were led through in reading the stories, even though they were not laid out so clearly before. If you think back to the kanji that “worked” best for you, you will find that each of these steps was accomplished perfectly. And if you look back at the ones you are forgetting, you should also be able to locate which step you skipped over. In reviewing, these same steps should be followed, with the only clue to set the imagination in motion being the key word.

If you find you are forgetting the relative position of the elements in a kanji…

Before all else, go back and reread the frame for that character to see if there were any helpful hints or explanatory notes. If not, return to the frame where the particular primitives were first introduced to see if there is any clue there. And if this is not the problem, then, taking care not to add any new words or focal points to your story (since they might end up being elements later on), rethink the story in such a way that the image for each element actually takes the position it has in the kanji itself. This should not happen often, but when it does, it is worth spending a few minutes to get things sorted out.

If you are confusing one kanji with another…

Take a careful look at the two stories. Perhaps you have made one or the other of them so vivid that it has attracted extraneous elements to itself that make the two kanji images fuse into one. Or again, it may be that you did not pay sufficient attention to the advice about clarifying a single connotation for the key word.

Whether or not you have had all or only a few of these problems, now is the time to review the first 10 lessons keeping an eye out for them. Put aside any schedule you may have set yourself until you have those lessons down perfectly, that is, until you can run through all 6 steps outlined above for every character, without a hitch. The most important thing in this review is not really to see whether you are remembering the characters, but to learn how to locate problems and deal with them.

One final note before you close the book and begin running your review. Everyone’s imagination works differently. Each has its own gifts and its own defects. The more you pay attention to how you imagine things, the more likely you are to find out what works best for you—and more importantly, why. The one thing you must distrust, if the system outlined in this book is to work for you, is your ability to remember kanji just as they are, without doing any work on them. Once you start making exceptions for characters you “know” or “have no trouble with” or “don’t need to run through all the steps with,” you are headed for a frustration that will take you a great deal of trouble to dig yourself out of. In other words, if you start using the method only as a “crutch” to help you only with the kanji you have trouble with, you will quickly be limping along worse than ever. What we are offering here is not a crutch, but a different way to walk.

That said, let us pick up where we left off. In this lesson we turn from primitive elements having to do with plants to those having to do with animals, 4 of them in all.

250

portent

兆

Here we have a pictograph of the back of a turtle, the two sloping vertical strokes representing the central ridge and the four short strokes the pattern. Think of reading turtle shells as a way to foretell the future, and in particular things that portend coming evils. [6]

族 旒 旗 旙 旛 无

When this character is used as a primitive in its full form, we keep the key-word sense of a portent. When it appears to the left in its abbreviated form (namely, the left half only, ⺦), we shall give it the pictographic sense of a turtle.


251

peach tree

桃

To associate the peach tree with the primitive for a portent, recall the famous Japanese legend of Momotarō, the Peach Boy. It begins once upon a time with a fisherman and his wife who wanted badly to have a child, but none was born to them. Then one day the old man caught a giant peach, out of which jumped a healthy young lad whom they named Peach Boy. Though the boy was destined to perform heroic deeds, his birth also portended great misfortune (how else could he become a hero?). Thus the tree that is associated with a portent of coming evil comes to be the peach tree. [10]

慙 慥


252

stare

眺

To give someone the “evil eye” is to stare at them, wishing them evil. The roots of the superstition are old and almost universal throughout the cultures of the world. In this kanji, too, being stared at is depicted as an eye that portends evil. [11]

慯 慶


253

dog

犬

We know that the kanji for large takes on the meaning of the St. Bernard dog when used as a primitive. In this frame we finally see why. The drop added as a fourth and final stroke means that we have to do with a normal-sized dog, which, compared to the St. Bernard, is no more than a drop in the kennel. [4]

慷 慾 憂 憇

As a primitive this character can take two meanings. In the form given here it will mean a very small dog (which we shall refer to as a chihuahua for convenience sake). When it takes the form 犭 to the left of a character, we shall give it the meaning of a pack of wild dogs.


254

status quo

状

Did you ever hear the legend of the turtle who fell madly in love with a chihuahua but could not have her because their two families did not like the idea of their children intermarrying? Like all classic stories of ill-fated love, this one shows how the young upset the status quo with an emotion older and more powerful than anything their elders have devised to counter it: blind love. [7]

憊 憎 憐 憘


255

silence

黙

Oddly enough, the character for silence shows us a black chihuahua. Actually, the cute little critter’s name is Darkness, as I am sure you remember from the famous song about silence that begins, “Hello, Darkness, my old friend.…”

Note how the four dots reach all the way across the bottom of the character. [15]

憬 憺 懇


256

sort of thing

然

The key word in this frame refers to a suffix that gives the word before it an adjectival quality; hence we refer to it as “sort of thing.” Reverting to the time when dog was more widely eaten than it is today (see frame 127), we see here a large cauldron boiling over an oven flame with the flesh of a chihuahua being thrown into the whole concoction to make it into a “hot-diggity, dog-diggity” sort of thing. [12]

懈 應 懊 懋 懣 懶


257

reed

荻

You’ve no doubt seen cattails, those swamp reeds with a furry flower to them like the tail of a cat. This might just turn out to be a good way to get rid of a troublesome pack of wild dogs: lure them into a swamp of these reeds with the cattail flowers and then set fire to the swamp. Take care to focus on the flower rather than the “cattail” to avoid confusion with frame 259 below. [10]

懺 懼 懽 懾 戉


258

hunt

狩

One of the worst problems you have to face when you go hunting is to guard your take from the wild dogs. If you imagine yourself failing at the task, you will probably have a stronger image than if you try to picture yourself succeeding. [9]

戊 戌 戍 戔


259

cat

猫

Knowing how much dogs love to chase cats, picture a pack of wild dogs planting “cat-seedlings,” watering them, and fertilizing them until they can be harvested as a crop of cats for them to chase and torment. If you begin from the key word and think of a “crop of cats,” you will not confuse this story with the apparently similar story of two frames ago. [11]

戛 戯


260

cow

牛

Can you see the “doodle” of a cow that has just been run over by a steamroller? The small dot in the first stroke shows its head turned to one side, and the next two strokes, the four legs. [4]

戰 戲 戳 戴

As a primitive, the same sense of cow is kept. Note only that when it is placed over another element, its tail is cut off, giving us . In this case, and when the element appears on the left, the stroke order is changed.


261

special

特

Despite the strong phonetic similarity, there will be no problem keeping the key word special distinct from the character we met earlier for specialty (frame 47), since the latter has immediate connotations lacking in this kanji.

Anyway, we shall let the key word of this frame refer to something in a special class all its own—like the sacred cows of India that wander freely without fear of being butchered and ground into hamburger. Even though the practice is originally a Hindu one, and in any case no longer followed among the majority of Japanese Buddhist monks, the Buddha’s refusal to take the life of any sentient being makes it only fitting that the cows should be placed on the sacred grounds of a Buddhist temple in this kanji. [10]

戸 戻 房 所 才


262

revelation

告

Folklore throughout the world tells us of talking animals who show a wisdom superior to that of human beings, and that same tradition has found its way into television shows and cartoons right into our own century. This character depicts revelation through the mouth of a cow, suggesting oracular utterances about truths hidden to human intelligence. [7]

扎 打 払 托 扠


263

before

先

Take this key word in its physical, not its temporal, sense (even though it refers to both). If you have a cow with human legs, as the elements show us here, it can only be because you have two people in a cow-suit. I always thought I’d prefer to be the one standing before, rather than the one that holds up the rear and becomes the “butt” of everyone’s laughter. [6]

扣 扨 扮 托 扶 批


264

wash

洗

This character is so logical that one is tempted to let the elements speak for themselves: water . . . before. But we have already decided we will not allow such rationalism to creep into our stories. Not even this once.

Instead, let us change the character from the Peanuts comic strip called “Pigpen,” who is always preceded by a little cloud of dust and grime, and rename him “Wash-Out.” Everywhere he walks, a spray of water goes before him to sanitize everything he touches. [9]

承 把


Lesson 12

In this the final lesson of Part One we introduce the useful compound primitive for metals and the elements needed to form it, in addition to picking up a number of stray characters that have fallen by the wayside.

*

umbrella



The actual kanji on which this primitive meaning umbrella is based will not show up until frame 1103. Think of it as a large and brightly-colored beach umbrella. If you compare this with frame 8, you will notice how the two strokes touch here, while the kanji for eight would leave a gaping leak in the top. [2]

抑 抒


265

jammed in

介

The idea of something getting jammed into something else is depicted here by having a walking stick get jammed into an umbrella frame by someone shoving it into an already occupied slot in the umbrella stand at the door. First notice the vertical strokes: on the left is the curved umbrella handle, and on the right the straight walking stick. Now try to imagine the two parties tugging at their respective properties like two kids on a wishbone, creating a scene at the entrance of an elegant restaurant. [4]

抑 抒 抔 投


266

world

界

As the world gets jammed with more and more people, there is less and less space. Imagine yourself taking an air flight over a world so densely populated that every bit of it is sectioned off like a gigantic checkerboard (the rice fields). If you look closely at the character, you should be able to see a kind of movement taking place as still more is being jammed into that already narrow space. [9]

抜 抬


267

tea

茶

As everyone knows, tea is made from tea leaves. But the tea plant itself has its own flowers, which can be quite beautiful and add a special flavor to the tea, as the Chinese found out already over 4,598 years ago. With the image of a terrace of flowering tea bushes in mind, picture a number of brightly painted and very l-o-n-g wooden poles (frame 207) placed here and there in their midst, with a tiny umbrella at the top to shade the delicate-tasting tea flowers. [9]

抹 押 抽 拂 担 拆


268

spinal column

脊

The spinal column has sprouted out of the flesh of your back into an umbrella that you always have with you, rain or shine. The pair of 2s on each side are the “ribs” of the umbrella. Take care to keep your image of the key word distinct from that for spine (frame 24). [10]

鰺 鰻 鰾 鱆


*

meeting



This compound primitive depicts a meeting as a massive gathering of people under one umbrella. The full kanji from which this derives will be introduced later in frame 814. The important thing here is to picture the scene just described and associate it with the word meeting. [3]

拈 拉 拊


269

fit

合

The kanji for fit reads literally, top to bottom, as a meeting of mouths—which is a rather descriptive way of speaking of a romantic kiss. We all know what happens when there is no meeting of minds and when people’s ideas don’t fit with one another. But this kanji invites us to imagine what happened to the romance of a certain unfortunate couple whose mouths didn’t fit. [6]

拏 拒


270

pagoda

塔

On the left we see a mound of dirt, and to the right flowers made to fit together. The two sides combine to create a great pagoda made of dirt, with flowers by the tens of thousands fitted together for the roofing of each of the layers. Be sure to put yourself in the scene and fit a few of the flowers in place yourself so that the image works its way into memory with full force. [12]

拗 招 拭


271

king

王

See what you can do to come up with a pictograph of a king’s scepter here that suits your own idea of what it should look like. You might even begin with the basic element for I beam and then try to fit the remaining third stroke in. [4]

拮 拯 拱 拳

As a primitive, this can mean either king or scepter, but it will usually be taken to mean ball, as an abbreviation of the character in the next frame.


272

jewel

玉

Note the drop here in the king’s scepter, which is exactly what you would expect it to be: a precious jewel handed down from of old as a symbol of his wealth and power. [5]

拾 拿

As a primitive, we can use this to mean either jewel or ball. When it appears anywhere other than on the left side of a kanji, it generally takes the same shape as here. On the left, it will be lacking the final stroke, making it the same as the character in the previous frame, .


273

treasure

宝

Every house has its treasure, as every thief knows only too well. While the things we treasure most are usually of sentimental value, we take the original sense of the term treasure here and make it refer to jewels kept in one’s house. [8]

指 挙


274

pearl

珠

Take care to keep the meaning of this kanji distinct from that for jewel. Think of the most enormous pearl you have ever seen, a great vermilion-colored ball sitting on your ring—and making it extremely difficult to move without falling over from the weight of the thing. [10]

挿 捕


275

present

現

Do not think of a “gift” here, but of the present moment, as distinct from the future and the past. The kanji gives us a ball in which we see the present—obviously a crystal ball that enables us to see things going on at the present in faraway places. [11]

捨 捺


276

toy

玩

If, at some aboriginal level, Toys R Us, then the archetypal ball must have been there at the beginning, before evolving into beach balls, ping-pong balls, rugby balls, and marbles. [8]

鮱 


277

lunatic

狂

A lunatic is literally one driven mad by the light of the moon, and the most famous of the “looneys” are the legendary lycanthropes or “wolfmen.” Sometimes the transformation is only a temporary phenomenon, sometimes it is permanent. In the latter case, the poor chap takes off on all fours to live with the beasts. To remember this kanji, imagine one of these lycanthropes going looney and setting himself up as king of a pack of wild dogs that roams about and terrorizes innocent suburban communities. [7]

掃 掎


278

effulgent

旺

The radiant, effulgent splendor of the sun makes it king of all the planets and other stars. Just to be sure you don’t take this too abstractly, picture the sun seated on a throne, flourishing its scepter this way and that. [8]

鮴 


279

emperor

皇

An emperor, as we all know, is a ruler—something like a king but higher in status. The white bird perched above the king, elevating him to imperial heights, is the messenger he sends back and forth to the gods to request advice and special favors, something that white birds have long done in folklore throughout the world. [9]

掛 探


280

display

呈

The trick to remembering this character lies in associating the key word with the line from the nursery rhyme about 4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie: “Wasn’t this a dainty dish to set before the king?” If we think of display in terms of that famous line, and the king with his head thrown back and his mouth wide open as 4 and 20 blackbirds fly in one after the other, we shall have satisfied both the elements and their position. [7]

控 掫


281

whole

全

Wholeness suggests physical and spiritual health, “having your act together.” The kanji-image for wholeness depicts being “king under your own umbrella,” that is, giving order to your own life. I know it sounds terribly abstract, but what could be more abstract than the word whole? [6]

掲 掾


282

plug

栓

Here we think of plug in the sense of a cork or stopper used to seal the mouth of a bottle, water faucet, or something with liquid running out of it. Forgetting the abstract picture of the former frame, let us work with all the primitive units: tree . . . umbrella . . . ball. Imagine a tree with a faucet in the side out of which tennis balls are flowing, bouncing all over the ground by the hundreds. You fight your way up to it and shove your giant beach umbrella into the tree to plug it up. [10]

揆 揚


283

logic

理

We first referred to this character back in frame 185, to which you might want to return to have a peek. The image of logic we are given is something like a central jewel in a computer, like the jewels in old clocks that keep them running smoothly. Try to picture yourself making your way through all the rams and roms and approaching this shining jewel, a chorus of voices and a blast of trumpets in the background heralding the great seat of all-knowing logic. [11]

揩 損


284

lord

主

“A man’s home is his castle,” goes the proverb from an age where it was the male who was lord of the household. Fundamentally, it means only that every one of us is a bit (or drop) of a king in our own environment. As for the positioning of the elements, if you take care to “read off” the primitives in this way, you won’t end up putting the drop down below, where it turns the kanji into a jewel. [5]

挟 振

As a primitive element, we set the key word aside entirely and take it as a pictograph of a solid brass candlestick (with the drop representing the flame at the top).


285

pour

注

Picture pouring water from a lighted candlestick. What could be more ridiculous, or simpler, as a way to recall this kanji? [8]

搖 搬


286

pillar

柱

The pillar referred to here is the wooden beam that stands at the entrance to a traditional Japanese house. Carve it in imagination into the shape of a gigantic candlestick and your work is done. [9]

携 摠


287

gold

金

If this were not one of the most common characters you will ever have to write, I would apologize for having to give the explanation that follows. Anyway, we want to depict bars of gold bullion with an umbrella overhead to shade them from the heat (and perhaps to hide them as well). The bullion is made by melting down all the scepters of the kingdom, drop by drop, and shaping them into bars. [8]

摧 摩 摯 摶 摸 摺 撃 撈

As a primitive, it means not only gold but any metal at all.


288

pig iron

銑

Pig iron refers to iron in the crude form in which it emerges from the smelting furnaces. Of all the various forms metal can take, this one shows us metal before it has been refined. Imagine two photographs labeled “before” and “after” to show the process. [14]

撥 撲


289

bowl

鉢

Let bowl suggest a large and heavy golden bowl into which you are throwing all the books you own to mash them into pulp, for some outrageous reason you will have to think up yourself. [13]

操 據


290

copper

銅

Picture an order of monks serving as chaplains for the police force. Their special habit, made of protective metal, is distinguished by a row of copper buttons just like the “cops” they serve. [14]

擯 擽


291

angling

釣

The character we learned for fishing (frame 184) refers to the professional, net-casting industry, while the angling of this character refers to the sport. The odd thing is that your angling rod is a golden ladle which you are using to scoop goldfish out of a river. [11]

攤 攬


292

needle

針

In frame 10 we referred ahead to this full character from which the primitive for needle (on the right) derives. Since we already expect that needles are made of metal, let us picture a set of solid gold darning needles to complete the kanji. [10]

攻 政


293

inscription

銘

Take inscription in the sense of the name you ask the jeweler to carve on a gold bracelet or inside a gold ring to identify its owner or communicate some sentimental message. It will help if you can recall the first time you had this done and the feelings you had at the time. [14]

敖 敢


294

tranquilize

鎮

The first lie-detector machines of the twentieth century worked by wiring pieces of metal to the body to measure the amount of sweat produced when questions were asked. It was discovered that nervousness produced more sweat, indicating subconscious reactions when the truth was getting too close for comfort. Nowadays, people can take drugs that tranquilize them in such a way as to neutralize the effect of the device, which is why other means have had to be developed. [18]

敷 斑


With that, we come to the end of Part One. Before going on to Part Two, it would be a good idea to return now to the Introduction and read it once again. The explanation of the method we are following here and the rationale behind it should make more sense now.

By this time, too, you should be familiar with the use of all three the Indexes. If not, take a few minutes to go through them one by one, reading the introduction to each and taking note of how they are arranged. As the number of characters you have learned increases,  you will find them useful in navigating your way back to kanji or primitive elements that need reviewing in their original context.

part two

Plots


Lesson 13

By this time, if you have been following along methodically frame by frame, you may find yourself growing impatient at the thought of having to read through more than 2,000 of these little stories. You probably want to move at a quicker pace and in your own way. Take heart, for that is precisely what we are going to start doing in Part Two. But if you happen to be one of those people who are perfectly content to have someone else do all the work for them, then brace yourself for the task that lies ahead.

We begin the weaning process by abbreviating the stories into simple plots, leaving it up to you to patch together the necessary details in a manner similar to what we did in Part One. As mentioned in the Introduction, the purpose of the longer stories was to impress on you the importance of recreating a complete picture in imagination, and to insure that you did not merely try to associate words with other words but with images. The same holds true for the kanji that remain.

Before setting out on our way again, a word of caution is in order. Left to its own, your imagination will automatically tend to add elements and see connections that could prove counterproductive in the long run. For example, you might think it perfectly innocent and admissible to alter the primitive for old to old man, or that for cliff to cave. In fact, these changes would be confusing when you meet the kanji and primitives with those meanings later on. You would return to the earlier kanji and find that everything had become one great confusion.

You may have experienced this problem already when you decided to alter a story to suit your own associations. That should help you appreciate how hard it is to wipe out a story once you have learned it, particularly a vivid one. To protect yourself against this, stick faithfully to the key words as they are given, and try not to move beyond the range of primitive meanings listed. Where such confusion can be anticipated, a longer story will be presented as a protective measure, but you will have to take care of the rest.

We start out Part Two with a group of 26 characters having to do with travel, and the primitives that accompany them: a road, a pair of walking legs, and a car.

*

road

⻌

The road envisioned here is a road for traffic, or a path or walkway. The natural sweep of these three simple strokes should be easy to remember, as it appears so often. [3]

旡 既 日


295

road-way

道

The key word carries both the sense of a road for transit and a way or method of doing something, but the former is better for forming an image. The primitives read: the neck of a road. Think of a crowded road-way where traffic has come to a standstill—what we commonly refer to as a “bottleneck.” [12]

旻 昀 昂 昃


296

guidance

導

When we accept someone’s guidance, we permit ourselves to be glued to a certain road or way of doing something, and try to “stick” to it. [15]

昞 昤


297

crossing

辻

Take the first two strokes in the sense we gave them back in frame 10, as the pictograph of a cross, and set it on a road to create a “crossing.” [5]

昧 昮


298

swift

迅

Here we see a crossing in the form of a barbed hook, suggesting a swifter alternate not only to the roundabouts used in Europe but also to the “cloverleaf” design used on superhighways in the United States. [6]

是 昱 昴 昻


299

create

造

Think of creating as making something out of nothing. Then recall how the way of revelation laid out in the Bible begins with the story of how God created the world out of a dark and chaotic nothingness. [10]

晉 晒


300

urge

迫

To urge someone to do something, you make the way as appealing as possible, perhaps even whitewashing it a bit. [8]

晟 晥


301

escape

逃

When escaping from something or someone, one always feels as if one is not going fast enough, like a turtle on an expressway. (Since the turtle is on the road and not on the left, it can keep its full kanji shape as given in frame 250.) [9]

景 晴


302

environs

辺

To keep the environs clean and safe, you could cement daggers in the road, blades pointed upwards, so that no polluting traffic could pass by. You could, if you were an ecologically minded terrorist. [5]

智 暄


303

patrol

巡

A virtual flood of motorcycle police washing down a road is this kanji’s image for a patrol. [6]

暇 暈 暉 暖


304

car

車

You may keep the whole range of connotations for this key word, car, provided it does not interfere with the pictograph. Look for the front and back wheels (the first and last horizontal strokes) and the seat in the carriage in the middle. As an exercise, try to isolate the primitives on your own and make a story out of them. [7]

暗 暘 暙 暝 暠 暢 暦

Car, cart, wagon, and vehicle may all be used as primitive meanings.


305

take along

連

What you are meant to take along in this kanji are not things but people. The image of the car on the road should ground your image for picking up your friends to take them along to wherever you are going. [10]

暼 曁


306

rut

軌

Combine the primary and secondary meanings of this key word to form your story. Begin with the car whose tires get caught in a rut and spin without going anywhere. Then go on to the baseball team who can’t win a game because it has fallen into a rut of losing. [9]

曜 曠


307

transport

輸

On the left we see a vehicle used for transport. On the right, we see a new tangle of elements that need sorting out. The first three strokes, you will remember, are the primitive for meeting. Below it we see the elements for flesh and saber, which combine to create a compound element for a butcher and his trade. Together they give us the image of a “truckers’ convoy.” [16]

曵 曹 曽 替


308

metaphor

I

People who try to sound literary often end up butchering the language. Here we see a meeting of butchers whose mouths are producing the metaphors. [12]

鮹 鮻


309

in front

前

We waited to introduce this character until now, even though we had all the elements, because it helps to reinforce the odd kanji of the last frame. Picture the butcher hacking away with his knife at a slab of meat on his table with a pair of ram’s horns placed in front of him (or on his head, if you prefer).

There is no need to worry about confusing this kanji with that for before (frame 263), since it will not appear as a primitive in any other character used in this book. [9]

最 會 月 朎 朔


310

roast

煎

Think of roasting the guest of honor at a party—literally, in front of an oven-fire. [13]

鯀 


*

walking legs

⼡

We call this element walking legs because it indicates “legs in motion,” whether you want to think of them as jogging or walking in long strides, as the shape seems to suggest. Be careful how you write it, with the first two strokes like a stylized “7.” [3]

朕 朖 朗


311

each

各

“Suum cuique” goes the popular Latin proverb. A certain disease of the English language makes it almost impossible to translate the phrase without gender bias. In any event, here we see someone walking with his/her mouth between his/her walking legs, giving us an image of “To each his/her own.” [6]

望 朝 朞 期 朦 朧

The sense of the proverb should help when using this kanji as a primitive; otherwise, reduce it to its original elements. But do not associate it in any way with the word “every,” which we shall meet later in another context.


312

status

格

If you see trees as status symbols (as they might be for those living in Japan’s congested cities, where greenery has become something of a luxury item), then each might be aiming to have his/her own tree, just to keep up with the Suzukis. [10]

本 朷


313

graft

賂

To those who believe in the inevitability of graft in government, everything has a price—or as this character has it, to each office its outlay of shells. [13]

鰯 


314

abbreviation

略

Each field has its own abbreviations (chemistry, philosophy, sports, etc.). Needless to say, the “stronger” primitive—that is to say, the simpler and more often used one, in this case the rice field—takes the dominant position on the left, even though the story would read them off the other way around. [11]]

杁 村


315

guest

客

When you are a guest in a courteous town, each household has its own way of welcoming you, and each house becomes your home. [9]

杙 杢


316

forehead

額

As Miss Manners will be the first to tell you, out of respect, one does not look straight into the eyes of one’s guests, but focus on the top button of their collar. Here, however, you are told to look above the eyes to the forehead of your guest. [18]

枉 枠


317

summer

夏

In the summer, fatigued by the heat, your head hangs down nearly as far as your walking legs, or rather, your “dragging legs.” Note how the walking legs (instead of “animal legs”) are the only thing that distinguishes this character from that for page (frame 64). [10]

杣 杤 杯 杲


318

dispose

処

Both the stretching out of the walking legs and the little bit of wind tucked in on the right suggest using one’s legs to kick something out of the way, or dispose of it. [5]

枡 枢 枦 枩 枯


319

twig

条

Geppetto made walking legs for his little Pinocchio from two twigs of a tree, giving him a set of “twiggy” shanks. [7]

枳 枴 架 枷 枸 枹 枻


320

fall

落

When water falls, it splishes and splashes; when flower petals fall, they float gently in the breeze. To each thing its own way of falling. [12]

柄 柎 柘


Lesson 14

We may now go a step further in our streamlining, this time in the stroke order of the kanji. From here on in, only the order in which the composite primitive elements are written will be indicated; if you are not sure of the writing of any of the particulars in a given character, you will have to hunt it down yourself. Index ii should help. New primitives and unusual writings will be spelled out as before, however. At any rate, you should always count the strokes of the character when you learn it, and check your results against the number given in square brackets in each frame.

The next group of primitives, around which this lesson is designed, have to do with lids and headgear.

*

crown

⼍

This pictograph of a simple crown is distinguished from the roof only by the absence of the chimney (the first drop at the top). It can be used for all the principal connotations of the word crown. We will meet the full character from which this element is derived later on, in frame 326. [2]

柚 柝


321

superfluous

冗

Picture a weather vane beneath a regal crown, spinning round and round. It is not only superfluous but makes a perfect ass out of the one who wears it. [4]

柞 柢


322

Hades

冥

The key word in this frame refers to the underworld, the world of the dead. By way of the classic Greek association, it is also used for the “dwarf planet” Pluto. Since no one knows precisely when this part of the cosmos was finished, we may imagine it as the crowning deed of day six of the creation. [10]

鯆 鯉 


323

army

軍

The crowned vehicle depicted here is a “chariot,” symbol of an army. [9]

柯 柱

Used as a primitive this kanji means only chariot.


324

radiance

輝

Take advantage of the first syllable of the key word to think of the ray of light to the left. Now add the glittering chariot that is emitting those rays and you have radiance. [15]

柳 柴


325

carry

運

A row of “sweet” chariots “swinging low” to our roads is a sure sign that the Lord is “comin’ for to carry” someone home. [12]

柵 査


326

crown

冠

By having the crown pass from one age to the next, a people keeps itself glued to its beginnings. [9]

柾 柿 栁


327

dream

夢

To have a dream after going to bed is really the crown to a perfect evening. The flower petals over the eyes (instead of the “sand” that Westerners are used to finding there when they awake in the morning) only confirms the image of a pleasant dream suggested by the rest of this rather complex kanji. [13]

忻 桍 桎 桐


*

top hat

亠

The broad rim and tall top of the top hat is pictured graphically here in these two simple strokes.

At this point, by the way, you can revert back to frame 6. If you have had any trouble with that character, you now have the requisite elements to make a story: Six suggests the number of an ant’s legs; just set a tall silk top hat on the crawling creature and you have your character. [2]

栃 栂


*

whirlwind



A formal high silk top hat resting atop a weather vane represents a whirlwind. To keep it distinct from the primitive for wind, try to picture the vortex, or tornado-like spinning movement, of a whirlwind. The next frame should help. [4]

栄 栓 栔


328

pit

坑

A whirlwind begins to dig its way into the soil like a drill until it makes a deep pit. [7]

棚 棟


329

tall

高

Recalling an image from frame 195, first see the mouth under the extraterrestrial’s glass hood, and then the mouth under the top hat of one of his mates who has tried on the strange earthling’s headgear only to find that it makes him look much, much taller than everyone else. [10]

桁 桂 桃

As a primitive, this character keeps its sense of tall and its position at the top of other primitives, but its writing is abbreviated to the first 5 strokes: .


330

receive

享

Tall children receive more attention. Tall children grow up to make better wide receivers. Take your pick, depending on whether you prefer child psychology or American football. At any rate, be sure you have some particular tall child in mind, someone who really was outstanding and always attracting attention, because he or she will come in handy in the next two frames. [8]

栖 栗


331

cram school

塾

Cram schools are after-hours educational institutions where kids can do concentrated preparing for their coming entrance examinations or drill what they missed during regular class hours. The exceptions are the tall children who are out on the school grounds practicing sports, and the fat ones who are out there burning off calories. So this character depicts those who do not go to the cram schools, rather than those who do. [14]

栞 校 栢


332

mellow

熟

The tall and fat children from the last frame are here cast into a cauldron over an oven fire until they have sufficiently mellowed that they can return to the normal life of a student. [15]

柤 柧 柩


333

pavilion

亭

Think of all the pavilions at County Fairs or World Expos you have wandered into or seen advertised in the media, and you will no doubt see rising up among them the towering tall crowned nail (the crown being a revolving restaurant)—that architectural monstrosity that has become a symbol of science and technology at such events. [9]

栲 栴 核


334

capital

京

When we think of a capital city today we think of tall skyscrapers dwarfing the endless swarms of little folk scurrying here and there about their business. [8]

根 格


335

refreshing

涼

Since few things are as refreshing on a warm day as a cool shower (the water), here we picture an entire capital city treating itself to one, and in full view of everyone. [11]

栽 桀


336

scenery

景

Scenery is depicted as a sun rising over a capital city, which is a bit of natural scenery the city dwellers themselves rarely get to see! [12]

棋 棍


337

whale

鯨

The whale swallows a whole school of fish, who turn their new abode into a proper little fish-capital. [19]

棏 棒


*

lidded crock



Soil over the mouth of a container gives us a piece of clay pottery with its lid. Behold the lidded crock. [6]

棔 棕


338

cottage

舎

A lidded crock with an umbrella overhead gives us a mixture of the modern and the nostalgic in this design for a cottage. [8]

棗 棘


339

circumference

周

Look more closely at your lidded crock and you will see little ruler marks along its bottom edge. This is so you can use it to calculate the circumference of your motorcycle helmet: just begin at a fixed point and turn the lidded crock around and around, keeping it flush against the side of the helmet, until you come back to your starting point. If you kept track of how many turns and part-turns your lidded crock made, you now know the circumference. [8]

桑 桒 桓 桔

As a primitive, this character can take the added significance of a lap.


340

week

週

Picture a circular road with 7 markers on it, one for each day of the week. When you have walked one complete lap on this road, you shall have completed one week. [11]

桙 桜


341

gentleman

士

The shape of this kanji, slightly differing from that for soil by virtue of its shorter final stroke, hints at a broad-shouldered, slender-waisted warrior standing at attention. When feudalism collapsed, these warriors became Japan’s gentlemen. [3]

桝 桟 档

The primitive meaning reverts to the more colorful image of the samurai, Japan’s warrior class.


342

good luck

吉

Here we see a samurai standing on a street with an open mouth, which people walk up to and look down deep inside of for good luck. [6]

桧 桴

As a primitive, we shall take this shape to mean an aerosol can, from the mouth and the very tightly-fitting lid (note how it differs here from the lidded crock).


343

robust

壮

Robust is seen as a turtle turned samurai. [6]

桶 桷


344

villa

荘

The villa pictured here is filled with exotic flowers at every turn, and has a pair of turtle-samurai standing before its gates. [9]

桾 桿 梁


345

sell

売

A samurai, out of a job, is going door-to-door selling little windup crowns with human legs that run around on the floor looking like headless monarchs. [7]

梃 梅 梍


Lesson 15

In this lesson we consider a group of primitives associated one way or another with schooling. Be sure to give your stories enough time to come to life in imagination, because your images will need a lot more vividness than these brief “plots” allow for. You know that you are not giving enough time when you find yourself memorizing definitions rather than playing with images.

*

schoolhouse

股

Here we see a little red schoolhouse with the 3 dots on the roof. As you write it in the following frames, you should acquire a “feel” for the way the first two short strokes move left to right, and the third one right to left. Write it twice now, saying to yourself the first time as you write the first 3 strokes, “In the schoolhouse we learn our A-B-Cs,” and the second time, “In the schoolhouse we learn our 1-2-3s.” [5]

梏 梓 梔 梗 梛


346

study

学

The child in the little red schoolhouse is there for one reason only: to study. Anyone who has gone through the schooling system knows well enough that study is one thing and learning quite another again. In the kanji, too, the character for learning (frame 616) has nothing to do with the schoolhouse. [8]

條 梟


347

memorize

覚

The idea of memorizing things is easily related to the schoolhouse; and since we have been at it for more than a hundred pages in this book, the idea that memorizing involves seeing things that are not really there should make it easy to put the two elements together. [12]

梠 梢


348

flourish

栄

The botanical connotations of the word flourish (to bud and burst into bloom, much as a tree does) are part of the ideal of the schoolhouse as well. [9]

梦 梧


*

brush

聿

This primitive element, not itself a kanji, is a pictograph of a writing brush. Let the first 3 strokes represent the hairs at the tip of the brush, and the following two strokes the thumb and forefinger that guide it when you write. Note how the long vertical stroke, cutting through everything, is drawn last. This is standard procedure when you have such a stroke running the length of a character. However, as we saw in the case of cow, when this primitive appears on top of another primitive, its “tail” is cut off, giving us . [6]

梨 梭 梯 械 梱 梳


349

write

書

The sage talks rapidly with his tongue wagging in his mouth, while the brush of the scribe runs apace to write down the master’s words. [10]

梵 梶 梹 梺 梼 棄 棊


350

haven

津

Seeing the tiny boats of poor mortals tossed about in a stormy sea like so many corks, the All-Merciful took its brush and drew little inlets of water where the hapless creatures might seek shelter. And so it is that we have havens. [9]

桄 框


*

taskmaster

攵

First find the long rod (the first stroke), held in the hand of someone seated (the next 3 strokes, not unlike the pictograph for woman, but quite different from that for walking legs introduced in Lesson 13). The only thing left to do is conjure up the memory of some taskmaster (or taskmistress) from your past whom you will “never forget.” [4]

棠 棡 棣 棧


351

breed

牧

When it is time to breed new cattle, the bull is usually willing but the cow is often not. Thus the taskmaster to the right forces the cow into a compromising position, so to speak, so that she and her mate can breed. [8]

森 棯


352

aggression

攻

The special craft of successful taskmasters is their ability to remain constantly on the aggressive, never allowing their underlings a moment to ponder a counter-aggression. [7]

棲 棹


353

failure

敗

The taskmaster is acknowledging the failure of a clam to make the grade in some marine school or other. [11]

椀 椁


354

a sheet of

枚

English counts thin, flat objects, like bed linen and paper, in sheets. The kanji does this with a taskmaster whipping a tree into producing sheets against its will. [8]

椋 椌


355

happenstance

故

Call it fate or providence or plain old Lady Luck, happenstance is the oldest taskmaster we know. It nearly always has its way. [9]

検 椡


356

awe

敬

Standing in awe of someone, you get self-conscious and may try to speak in flowery phrases out of veneration or fear. The taskmaster at the right is drilling you in the practice of your “honorifics.” [12]

椹 椽 椿


357

say

言

Of all the things we can do with our mouth, speech requires the greatest distinctness and clarity. Hence the kanji for say has four little sound-waves, to show the complexity of the task. [7]

楊 楓 楔 楕 楙 楚 楜

This kanji, which appears often as a primitive, can mean saying, speech, or words, depending on which is most useful.


358

admonish

警

Here you have a perfect example of how an apparently impossible snarl of strokes becomes a snap to learn once you know its elements. The idea of being admonished for something already sets up a superior-inferior relationship between you and the person you are supposed to stand in awe of. While you are restricted to answering in honorifics, the superior can use straightforward and ordinary words. [19]

楝 楞


359

plot

計

Words and a meter’s needle combine to form the sense of plot: to talk over plans and to calculate a course of action. [9]

楠 楡


360

elucidate

詮

Think of elucidating as presenting something in whole words, as distinct from broken, fragmented sentences. [13]

鯊 


361

prison

獄

Although we did not make note of it at the time, the kanji for dog is also a low-grade term for a spy. And later (frame 1517) we will meet another association of criminals with dogs. The prison here depicts a pack of wild dogs (the long-timers and hardened criminals) into which the poor little chihuahua (first-offender) has been cast. The only thing he has to protect himself against the pack are his shrill and frightened words. [14]

楢 楨 楪


362

revise

訂

After completing the first draft, you revise it by nailing down your words and “hammering” them into shape. [9]

楫 業


363

obituary

訃

The words of this obituary work like a magic wand, conjuring up the deceased. [9]

鯏 


364

chastise

討

Words spoken to chastise us stick to us like glue in a way no other words can. [10]

楮 楯


365

instruction

訓

The personalism connoted by the word instruction, as opposed to “teaching” or “discipline,” suits the picture here of words guiding one’s progress like the gentle flowing of a stream. Even the etymology of the word instruction suggests the sense of “pouring into”. [10]

楳 楴


366

imperial edict

詔

The imperial edict, spoken with the force of unquestionable law, is made up of words intended to seduce the masses—be it through fear or respect—to follow obediently. [12]

極 楷


367

packed

詰

A piece of writing that is pregnant with meaning and needs to be reread several times to be understood we refer to colloquially as “packed.” The character sees the words as sealed tightly inside an aerosol can. [13]

楸 楹


368

tale

話

That the words of the tongue should come to mean a tale is clear from the etymology: a tale is something “talked,” not something read from a book. [13]

楼 楽


369

recitation

詠

Listening to the words of poets reciting their poetry is like being transported for a moment into eternity where the rules of everyday life have been suspended. [12]

楾 榁


370

poem

詩

Since silence is treasured so highly at a Buddhist temple the words spoken there must be well chosen. Perhaps this is why the records of the monks often read to us like poems. Before going on, back up a frame and make sure you have kept poem and recitation distinct in your mind. [13]

概 榊


371

word

語

Whereas the character for say focused on the actual talking, the kanji for words stresses the fact that although it is I who say them, the words of a language are not my own. You can see the clear distinction between I and words just by looking at the kanji. [14]

榎 榑


372

read

読

In the age of advertising, most words we read are out to sell some product or point of view. [14]

榔 榕


373

tune

調

A complete tune is composed not only of a succession of notes but also of one lap of the words that go with it. [15]

榘 榛


374

discuss

談

In almost every attempt to discuss an issue, the fervor of one’s convictions comes to the surface and creates an inflammation of words (if you will, the “cuss” in discuss). [15]

榜 榠


375

consent

諾

The words of the young do not have legal validity unless backed up by “parental consent.” [15]

榧 榮


376

rebuke

諭

The stern tone of a rebuke is seen here in the image of words spoken at a meeting of butchers (see frame 307) waving their choppers at one another and “cutting one another down” as only butchers can. [16]

榱 榲


Lesson 16

In this short lesson of 19 characters we come to an interesting cluster of primitive elements—unique among all those we have met or will meet throughout this book—built up step by step from one element. Be sure to study this lesson as a unit in order to appreciate the similarities and differences of the various elements, which will appear frequently later on.

*

arrow

弋

Here we see a pictograph of a long and slightly warped arrow. By extending the short final stroke in both directions, you should see the arrowhead without any difficulty. The hook at the bottom represents the feathers at the butt end. When it serves as a semi-enclosure for other primitives, the first stroke is drawn longer, as we shall see in the following frames. [3]

榴 榻 榾


377

style

式

Take style in its sense of some fashion design or model. Then let the element arrow and craft stand for the well-known style of shirts known as “Arrow shirts” because of the little arrow sewn on each one. [6]

榿 槁 槃


378

test

試

When a manufacturer produces a new style for the market, the first thing that is done is to run a test on consumers, asking them to speak their opinions frankly about the product. Never mind the anachronism (the kanji was there well before our capitalistic market system) if it helps you remember. [13]

並 槎 槐


*

quiver

肥

This primitive is easy to remember as depicting something used to bring all one’s arrows together into one handy place: the quiver. [4]

槓 様 槙 槝


379

ii (two)

弐

We use the Roman numeral ii here to stress that this kanji is an older form of the kanji for two. Think of two arrows in a quiver, standing up like the numeral II. [6]

槞 槢 槧 槨 槫 槭


*

fiesta

戈

The picture in this primitive is what we may call a “tassled arrow.” A decorative tassle is strung on the shaft of an arrow to indicate that it is no longer a weapon but a symbol of a fiesta. As before, the first stroke is extended when it serves as a semi-enclosure. [4]

濡 濤 濫 濬


380

range

域

From its original meaning of a defined area or zone, a range has also come to mean a grazing land where cowboys roam and do whatever it is they do with cows. When the herds have all been driven to market, there is a great homecoming fiesta like that pictured here. As soon as the cowboys come home, home on the range, the first thing they do is kiss the ground (the mouth on the floor), and then get on with the fiesta. [11]

棺 槲 槹 槻 槽


381

burglar

賊

From a burglar’s point of view, a fiesta is an occasion to take out the old lockpicking needle and break into the unattended safe filled with the family shells (the old form of money, as we saw in frames 84 and 206). [13]

槿 樀 樁 樂


*

Thanksgiving



I choose the word Thanksgiving as only one possible way of making this primitive more concrete. The sense, as its composite primitives make clear, is of a “land fiesta,” or a harvest feast. If you choose a word of your own, make sure it does not conflict with fiesta. [6]

樅 樊 樋 樌 樒 樓


382

plantation

栽

On a fruit plantation it is the trees that one is particularly grateful for at the time of Thanksgiving. Imagine yourself inviting a few representative trees from the fields and orchards to join you around the table to give thanks. [10]

樔 樗 標


383

load

載

One loads bales on a wagon or cart in preparation for the great Hay Ride that follows the Thanksgiving dinner each year. [13]

樣 権 横


*

parade

戊

Note first the order of the writing. The first stroke, added to fiesta, gives us a full-fledged enclosure, because of which we should always think of this as a parade of something or other, namely whatever is inside the enclosure. [5]

樛 樞 樟 模 樢


384

overgrown

茂

The sense of the key word overgrown is of something growing luxuriously, though not necessarily in excess—in this case a whole parade of weeds (outcast flowers). By way of exception, the flowers take their normal place over the enclosure. [8]

樫 樮


385

relatives

戚

If you think of a parade of particularly disagreeable relatives, it should not be hard to imagine them as large bodies with little pea-brains above. [11]

鯑 鯒 鯔 鯖 


386

turn into

成

Let the phrase “turn into” suggest some sort of a magical change. What happens here is that the parade marching down main street turns into a dagger-throwing bout between competing bands. Note how only one stroke has to be added to make the change. [6]

樰 樵 樶 樸 樹 樺


387

castle

城

In this frame, we see a mound of dirt that is being turned into a castle (the way you may have done as a child playing on the beach). [9]

樽 橄


388

sincerity

誠

The sure sign of sincerity is that one’s mere words are turned into deeds. [13]

橆 橇


*

march

戌

As distinct from the parade, the march points to a formal demonstration, whose emotions are generally a far cry from the happy spirit of the parade. The inclusion of the one gives the sense of the singlemindedness and unity of the group joined in the march. As was the case with parade, the primitive inside the enclosure indicates who or what is marching. [6]

橈 橋 橘 橙 機 橡


389

intimidate

威

Here we see a march of women demonstrating on behalf of equal rights, something extremely intimidating to the male chauvinist population. [9]

橢 橦 橫


390

destroy

滅

Picture a march of flames demonstrating against the Fire Department for their right to destroy, but being doused with water by the police riot squads. [13]

橲 橳 橸 橾


391

dwindle

減

A group of unquenchable mouths sets out on a march across the country, drinking water wherever they can find it until the water supply has dwindled to a trickle, triggering a national disaster. [12]

槊 構 槌 槍


392

revile

蔑

The verbal abuse involved in reviling those who do not deserve it can be compared to a march of flowers in full bloom having an eyeball of nastiness cast over them (literally, of course).[14]

鯛 鯡 


*

float



The floats that are such an important part of a fiesta are shown here by the addition of the two extra horizontal strokes, which you may take as a quasi-pictographic representation of the platform structure of a float. [6]

櫛 櫞 櫟 櫢 櫤 櫨


393

scaffold

桟

Prior to the use of metal, trees were once cut down and bound together for use as scaffolding material. In the case of the kanji shown here, what is being constructed is not a skyscraper but a simple float. [10]

橿 檀


394

coin

銭

Those special gold-colored tokens minted each year for the Mardi Gras and thrown into the crowds from people on the floats give us the kanji for coins. [14]

檄 檍


395

shallow

浅

An entourage of floats going from one town to the next must always seek a shallow place to cross the water. Try to picture what happens if they don’t. [9]

檎 檐


Lesson 17

Because of the rather special character of that last group of primitives (7 in all), it might be a good idea not to rush too quickly into this lesson until you are sure you have them all learned and fitted out with good images. Now we will take up another set of primitives built up from a common base, though fewer in number and lacking the similarity of meaning we saw in the last lesson.

396

stop

止

The character for stop is easiest to learn as a pictograph, though you have to take a moment to see it. Take it as a rather crude drawing of a footprint: the first 3 strokes represent the front of the foot and the last the heel. The big toe (stroke 2 sticking out to the right) on the right indicates that this is a left foot. [4]

檗 檜 檠 檢

Although the meaning of stop will be retained, we will return often to the pictographic meaning of footprint.


397

walk

歩

Footprints that follow one another a few at a time indicate walking. [8]

檣 檪 檬 檮 檳 檸 檻 櫁


398

ford

渉

To ford a body of water means to walk across it. [11]

櫂 櫃 櫑


399

repeatedly

頻

The image of something occurring repeatedly, over and over again, is of having one’s head walked on. [17]

櫓 櫚


400

agreement

肯

Seeing footprints on someone’s flesh indicates a rather brutal way of having secured that person’s agreement. [8]

櫪 櫺


401

undertake

企

To undertake a project is to take some idea floating in the air and stop it so that it can be brought down to earth and become a reality. Here we see some undertaking made to stop under a beach umbrella. [6]

櫻 欄 欅 權 欒 欖


402

curriculum

歴

That same grove of trees from frame 226 shows up in the character for curriculum (as in a record of one’s life or academic achievements, the curriculum vitae). Instead of the grove making its way slowly through the surface of the cliff as before, here we see it stopped, much the same as a curriculum vitae calls a halt to the calendar and talks only about the past. [14]

欝 欟 欠


403

warrior

武

With a quiver of arrows set on one’s back, the goal of the warrior depicted here is not to attack but merely to stop the attack of others: the oldest excuse in history! [8]

次 欣 欧 欲 欷 欸 欹 欺


404

levy

賦

A certain portion of shells (money) is collected by the warrior from the local villages as he passes through to defray the costs of keeping the land safe, and this is called a levy. [15]

欽 款


405

correct

正

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” says the Chinese proverb. Here we see one footprint, complementing that proverb with the sound advice that if the first step is not made correctly, the whole point of the journey will be forfeited. This is the ideal that teachers are supposed to have in correcting their students, and parents in correcting their children. [5]

歃 歇 歉 歌 歎


406

evidence

証

Words that testify to the correctness of some fact are classified as evidence. (Here we see a good example of how the more common primitive element takes the “strong” position to the left, even though it has more strokes.) [12]

歐 歓


407

politics

政

To the many definitions for politics that already exist, this character offers yet another: correct taskmastering. Think about what the primitives tell us. On the one hand, we see the pessimistic wisdom that politics has to do with taskmastering, maneuvering people with or without their will. And on the other, we see the campaign assurances that this duty can be performed correctly if only the right candidate is given a chance. [9]

歔 歙


*

mending



This primitive differs from the kanji for correct only by the movement added to the last two strokes, the “-ing” of mending if you will. But take a more concrete sense, like mending holes in socks. [5]

歛 歟 歡 止 正


408

determine

定

Determination, in the sense of settling on a certain course of action, is likened here to mending one’s house. [8]

此 武


409

lock

錠

Metal of itself doesn’t lock. It needs to be so determined by a locksmith. Now make a concrete image of that. [16]

歩 歪


410

run

走

Running, we are told here, mends the soil. Observe in the following frames how this kanji can embrace other elements from below, much the same way as the element for road does. Note, too, that in order to do this, the final stroke needs to be lengthened. [7]

歯 歳


411

transcend

超

When one is running after something, the goal that seduces one is said to transcend the seeker. [12]

歴 歸


412

proceed

赴

In proceeding to a new city or a new job, something in you runs ahead with excitement, and something else holds you back, like a divining rod built into your psyche warning you to check things out carefully before rushing in too wildly. [9]

歹 死


413

surpass

越

Here we see two parades in competition, each trying to surpass the other by running at high speed from one town to the next. Note the little “hook” at the end of the first stroke of the element for parade. This is the only time it appears like this in the kanji treated in this book. [12]

歿 殀


414

just so

是

In this kanji we are shown someone spending an entire day at mending one stocking, because they want the job done “just so.” Be sure to make a clear image of a finicky old fusspot to make the abstract idea as concrete as possible. [9]

殃 殄


415

topic

題

In many kinds of research, one can find information on a given topic only if the headings are prepared just so. [18]

殆 殉


416

dike

堤

A dike is a successful bit of engineering only if the amount of earth piled up is measured just so for the height and pressure of the water it is meant to contain. [12]

殊 残


*

stretch

廴

The primitive meaning to stretch might at first seem similar to that for road. Take a moment to study it more carefully and you will see the difference. Like road, this character holds other primitives above its sweeping final stroke. [3]

殍 殕 殖


417

build

建

To construct a building, you first draw a set of plans (the writing brush) and then s-t-r-e-t-c-h your drawing out to scale in reality. [9]

殘 殞


418

key

鍵

The golden key you have been presented by the mayor gives you access to all the buildings in the city. [17]

鯣 


419

prolong

延

This character is a kind of pictographic image of how prolonging is a clever way of stopping things by trying to stretch them out a little bit at a time (the eyedropper above stop). Be sure to get a concrete image of this process, by imagining yourself prolonging something you can really, physically, stretch. [8]

殤 殪


420

nativity

誕

The key word of course calls to mind the feast of Christmas. As the famous poem at the start of St. John’s gospel tells us, the nativity we celebrate at Christmas had its origins at the very start of time and governs all of human history: it represents the prolongation of the eternal Word in time and space. [15]

殫 殯


*

zoo

疋

To avoid confusion with the other animals that will be showing up, this primitive will signify a zoo. Except for the downward hook at the end of the first stroke, this element is indistinguishable from mending. Perhaps by now you have developed a quick eye for such details. If not now, you will before long. [5]

殱 殲 殳 殴 段


421

cornerstone

礎

This character depicts a cornerstone as a stone set at the end of a wildlife preserve (the “zoo in the grove”). [18]

殷 殺 殻


422

bridegroom

婿

What makes a man a bridegroom is obviously a woman and her dowry, here presented as a small zoo (animals were often used for this purpose in earlier societies) and a month away from it all (the “honeymoon”). [12]

殼 殿 毀


Lesson 18

The three groups of characters brought together in this rather long lesson are clustered around three sets of primitives dealing respectively with cloth and garments, weather, and postures.

423

garment

衣

At the top we see the top hat, and at the bottom a pictographic representation of the folds of a garment. If you break the “4-fold” fold into 2 sets of 2 strokes, you will find it easier to remember. [6]

毅 毆 毋 母 毎 毒

Used as a primitive, the additional meanings of cloak or scarf will come in handy. What has to be noted particularly are the changes in shape the kanji can undergo when it becomes an element in other kanji. In fact, it is the most volatile of all the kanji we shall treat, and for that reason deserves special attention here.

When it appears to the left, it looks like this: 衤, and we shall take it to mean cloak. At the bottom, when attached to the stroke immediately above it, the first two strokes (the top hat) are omitted, giving us: , which we shall take to mean a scarf.

On rare occasions, the element can be torn right across the middle, with the first 2 strokes appearing at the top and the last 4 at the bottom of another primitive or cluster of primitives: , in which cases we shall speak of a top hat and scarf.

And finally, of course, it can keep its original kanji shape, along with its original meaning of garment in general.

Note that when any of the above forms have something beneath them (as in frame 429), the third from final stroke is “unhooked,” like this: .


424

tailor

裁

You might think here of garments that have been specially tailored for Thanksgiving celebrations to look like traditional Pilgrim garb. [12]

毓 比 毖 毘 毛


425

attire

装

The character for attire can be remembered as a picture of what we may call a “turtle-samurai” sweater. At the top we see the turtle-samurai and at the bottom the element for garment. [12]

毟 毫 毬


426

back

裏

An innocent looking top hat and scarf lying there in front of you, turned over, reveal a hidden computer sewn into the back of each—obviously the tools of a master spy. Such experiences teach one always to have a look at the back side of things. [13]

毯 毳 氈


427

demolition

壊

The right half of this character shows a garment woven so fine that it can pass through the eye of a needle, fittingly draped around the slithering, ethereal form of a poltergeist. In this frame, our eerie visitor brushes its robes against a nearby block of apartments and completely demolishes them, razing them to the ground. [16]

氏 民 氓


428

pathetic

哀

A drunken sod in a tattered top hat and soiled silk scarf with a giant mouth guzzling something or other gives us a pathetic character role in which W. C. Fields might find himself right at home. [9]

气 気 氛


429

distant

遠

A distant figure on the road is such a blur it looks like a lidded crock wearing a silk scarf. [13]

氣 氤 水


430

monkey

猿

This clever little monkey has captured an entire pack of wild dogs, locked them inside a lidded crock, and wrapped the whole thing up in a silk scarf to present to the dogcatcher. [13]

氷 永 氾


431

first time

初

The primitives here take care of themselves: cloak and dagger. What I leave to you is to decide on an appropriate connotation for “first time” to take advantage of them. [7]

氿汀 汁 求 汊 汋


432

towel

巾

This character depicts a bolt of cloth wrapped around a pole. From there it gets its meaning of a towel [3].

汎 汏


433

linen

布

The maid, towels by her side, distributes the linen. [5]

汐 汕 汗


434

sail

帆

A sail made of a towel makes a mediocre vessel. [6]

汜 汚


435

hanging scroll

幅

A towel owned by the wealthiest tycoon in the world is made into a hanging scroll after his death and auctioned off to the highest bidder. [12]

汜 汝


436

cap

帽

Because of the risk involved (of getting the sun in one’s eyes), one puts together a makeshift cap out of a dirty old towel. [12]

汞 江 池


437

curtain

幕

A dirty towel draped over the entrance to the old graveyard is painted to look like the curtain of death that leads to the other world. [13]

汢 汨


438

canopy

幌

A large towel stretched overhead with only a few of the sun’s rays breaking through represents a canopy over one’s bed. [13]

濆 濔 濕


439

brocade

錦

A strip of white towel and some scraps of metal have the makings of a primitive kind of brocade. [16]

汪 汯 汰


440

market

市

Dressed in nothing but a bath towel and top hat, one sets off to the marketplace in search of a bargain or two. [5]

汲 汳 決 汽 汾


441

persimmon

柿

Imagine a village market with stalls set up around an immense persimmon tree with watermelon-sized fruit. If it weren’t for the fact that the tree is sacred to the village, people would get impatient as the persimmons fall from the tree and wreak havoc on buyers and sellers alike. [9]

鮫 


442

elder sister

姉

Of all the women of the family, it is the elder sister who has the duty to go to market to do the shopping. [8]

沁 沂


443

lungs

肺

One is surprised, strolling through the market, to find among the flesh hung out for sale a slab marked: lungs. [9]

沃 沆


*

apron



The towel that has edges jagged like little crowns is the cook’s apron. [5]

沈 沌


444

sash

帯

The part of the apron where one finds the buckle (represented pictorially by the first 5 strokes) is on the sash. [10]

沍 沐 沒 沓 沖 沙 沚


445

stagnate

滞

People that have been “sashed” to something (whether their mother’s apron strings or a particular job) for too long become like water that has stopped moving: they start to stagnate. [13]

沛 没


*

belt

⼌

This primitive, clearly derived from that for towel, is always hung on another vertical stroke, and takes the meaning of a belt. [2]

沢 沫


446

thorn

刺

Thorns grow on a bush here that has wrapped itself around a tree like a belt, cutting into the poor tree like little sabers. [8]

沮 沱 河 沸 油 沺 治 沼


447

system

制

This kanji show a unique system for leading cows to the slaughterer’s saber: one ties a belt about their waist and fixes that belt to an overhead cable, pulling the cow up into the air where it hangs suspended, helpless against the fate that awaits it. [8]

沽 沾 沿 況 泄 泅 泉 泊


448

made in…

製

A label indicating that a garment was made in U.S.A. or Taiwan or Japan is itself a symbol for the systematization of the garment industry. [14]

泌 泓


*

rising cloud

云

This primitive is meant to depict in graphic fashion a cloud of something rising upwards, like vapor or smoke or dust. [4]

法 泗 泙 泚


449

revolve

転

As the wheels of the car revolve, they kick up small rising clouds of dust and debris behind them. [11]

泛 泝


450

technique

芸

The secret technique of making a rising cloud of smoke turn into a bouquet of flowers is shown here. [7]

泡 波


451

rain

雨

This kanji, also a primitive, is one of the clearest instances we have of a complex pictograph. The top line is the sky, the next 3 strokes a pair of clouds, and the final 4 dots the rain collected there and waiting to fall. [8]

泣 泥 注 泪 泯 泰 泱 泳

As a primitive it can mean either rain or weather in general. Because it takes so much space, it usually has to be contracted into a crown by shortening the second and third strokes into a crown like this: .


452

cloud

雲

Here is the full character for cloud from which the primitive for a rising cloud derives. Clouds begin with vapors rising up in small clouds from the surface of the earth, and then gathering to make clouds that eventually dump their rain back on the earth. [12]

洄 洋


453

cloudy weather

曇

We refer to days when the sun is covered by the clouds as cloudy weather. [16]

洌 洒


454

thunder

雷

The full rumble and roar and terror of thunder is best felt not with your head tucked under your pillow safe in bed, but out in an open rice field where you can get the real feel of the weather. [13]

洗 洙


455

frost

霜

Think of frost as a cooperative venture, an inter-action of the malevolent forces of weather that sit around a conference table and finally decide to allow a very light amount of moisture to fall just before a short and sudden freeze. [17]

洛 洞


*

ice

冫

The condensation of the three drops we have been using to mean water into two drops signals the solidifying of water into ice. Note that when this primitive appears to the left, it is written like the last two strokes of the element for water, 冫, whereas under another primitive, it is written like the first two strokes of the water primitive: . [2]

洟 津


456

winter

冬

Walking legs slipping on the ice are a sure sign of winter. [5]

洩 洪


457

heavens

天

This character is meant to be a pictograph of a great man, said to represent the Lord of the Heavens. (You may, of course, use the elements ceiling and St. Bernard instead.) [4]

洫 洲 洳 洵

The primitive can mean either the heaven of eternal bliss or the general term for sky, the heavens. Pay special attention to the fact that in its primitive form the first stroke is written right to left, rather like the first stroke of thousand (frame 40), rather than left to right, giving us: 夭. From the next character, we shall give it the primitive meaning of a witch.


458

bewitched

妖

You are bewitched by a woman who is, of course, a witch [7].

鯤 


459

irrigate

沃

Suffering from a drought, the farmers call on a witch who conjures up water to irrigate their crops. [7]

鮟 


*

angel

喬

The sense of the primitive, angel, derives from the primitive for witch replacing the top hat in the character for tall. [12]

洶 洸


460

bridge

橋

The bridge shown here is made of trees in their natural form, except that the trunks have been carved into the forms of angels, a sort of “Ponte degli Angeli.” [16]

活 洽


461

attractive

嬌

Associating a particularly attractive woman you know with an angel should be no problem. [15]

派 流


462

stand up

立

This picture of a vase standing up has its meaning extended to represent the general posture of anything standing up. [5]

浄 浅 浙 浚 浜

Used as a primitive, it can also mean vase. Using its kanji meaning, think of something standing up that is normally lying down, or something standing up in an unusual way.


463

cry

泣

One cries and cries until one is standing up knee-deep in water (or until one has a vase-full of water). [8]

浣 浤


464

badge

章

Try to imagine a club badge pinned to your lapel in the form of a mammoth sunflower protruding from a wee little vase. [11]

浦 浩


465

vie

競

Two teenagers are seen here standing up to one another, vying for the attention of their peers. [20]

浪 浬 浮


466

sovereign

帝

An uncommon, but not altogether unlikely picture of a reigning sovereign has him standing up in his apron, presumably at the behest of his sovereign (she who is to be obeyed), who needs help with washing the dishes. [9]

浯 浴 海


467

renunciation

諦

The key word renunciation has to do with the wisdom and clarity of mind in knowing when to “let go.” This is what makes the words of acquiescence sovereign. [16]

鯨 


468

juvenile

童

This frame shows up the image of a juvenile hacker standing on top of a computer, or rather jumping up and down on it, because it refused to come up with the right answer. [12]

浸 浹


469

pupil

瞳

Begin with the double meaning of the key word pupil: “student” and the “apple of one’s eye.” Now all you have to do is dwell on the phrase “juvenile of one’s eye” (the meaning here) until it provides you with an image. [17]

涅 涇


470

bell

鐘

This bell is made of cheap metal, and so badly made that when you ring it, it lets out a noise like the “bellowing” of juveniles who aren’t getting their own way. [20]

消 涌


471

make a deal

商

See the peddler standing atop his motorcycle helmet as if it were a soapbox, hawking his wares to passersby. The legs and mouth represent the tools of the trade of making a deal any way you can. [11]

涎 涓 涕 涖


*

antique



The primitive meaning antique, not itself a kanji, depicts a vase kept under a glass hood because it is very, very old. [11]

涙 涛 涜


472

legitimate wife

嫡

The phrase legitimate wife would have no meaning if there were not such a thing as an “illegitimate wife,” taken because one’s legal woman has turned into an antique. The very offense of the idea should help you remember the kanji. [14]

涬 涯


473

suitable

適

Can you imagine anything less suitable to do with one’s precious antiques than to display them in the middle of a crowded road-way? [14]

液 涵


474

drip

滴

Picture water dripping on what you thought were precious antiques, only to find that the artificial aging painted on them is running! [14]

涸 涼


475

enemy

敵

Picture your most precious antique (it doesn’t matter how old it really is, so long as it is the oldest thing you own) being knocked over by your most unlikable taskmaster, and you have a good picture of how people make themselves enemies for life. [15]

淀 淅


476

spoon

匕

This character, a pictograph of a spoon, is easy enough to remember, provided you keep it distinct from that for seven, where the first stroke is written left to right (the opposite of here) and cuts noticeably across the second. [2]

淆 

As a primitive, this kanji can take on the additional meaning of someone sitting on the ground, of which it can also be considered a pictograph. In general, the second stroke does not cut through the first—or if it does in some fonts, only slightly.


477

scold

叱

Recall some particularly harsh scolding you got as a child in school. This character has you sitting on the ground in the corner as your teacher stands over you, her mouth wide open as she reprimands you in front of the entire class. [5]

鯲 


478

aroma

匂

You will have to imagine “capturing” a favorite aroma by having it gagged and bound up in a spoon. [4]

鯱 


479

about that time

頃

When Uncle Bob starts his comic routine of sticking spoons on his head, you know it is about that time to come up with a reason to excuse yourself. [11]

鰄 


480

north

北

The cold air from the north is so strong that we see two people sitting on the ground back to back, their arms interlocked so they don’t blow away. (Pay special attention to the drawing of the first 3 strokes.) [5]

淋 淌 淏 淑 淒


481

stature

背

One’s stature is measured according to the “northern-most” part of the body. [9]

淕 淘


482

compare

比

With two spoons, one in each hand, you are comparing your mother’s cooking with your mother-in-law’s. [4]

淙 淞 淟


483

descendants

昆

By comparing apes with anthropoids, we not only discover the latter have descended from those progenitors educated in the higher branches, but that the very idea of seeing everything descended from everything else, one way or another, means that there is “nothing new under the sun.” [8]

淡 淤


484

all

皆

Think of the housewives in tv commercials “comparing the whiteness” of their laundry across the fence, a typical advertisement for the popular detergent known as All. (If you don’t know the brand, surely you’ve heard the phrases “all-purpose detergent” or “all-temperature detergent.”) [9]

淦 淨


485

block letters

楷

The key word refers to kanji that are written in full, squared form, as opposed to cursive writing which is more flowing and abbreviates some of the strokes. Here block letters are pictured as tidy rows of trees that are all the same size and can be read easily by all, whatever calligraphic skills they possess. [13]

鰆 


486

orderliness

諧

The harmony of “a place for everything and everything in its place” is applied here to the orderliness of all the words one speaks. [16]

鰈 


487

mix

混

Mixed marriages, this character suggests, water down the quality of one’s descendants—the oldest racial nonsense in the world! [11]

濟 濠


*

siesta

$

Conjure up the classic portrait of the Latin siesta: a muchacho sitting on the ground, propped up against some building, bound up from neck to ankles in a serape, one of those great, broad-rimmed mariachi hats pulled down over his face, and the noonday sun beating down overhead. Always use the complete image, never simply the general sense of siesta. [8]

淪 淫 淬


488

thirst

渇

As you pass by the muchacho taking the siesta, he cries out that he is thirsty and asks for something to drink. So you turn the water hose on him. [11]

淮 深


489

audience

謁

Imagine an audience with the emperor or the pope in which all those in attendance are sitting down, leaning against the wall, sleeping like our muchacho on siesta, as the honorable host delivers his speech. [15]

淲 淳


490

brown

褐

The color of the serape or cloak of our muchacho on siesta is a dull brown, the color this kanji indicates. [13]

淵 混


491

hoarse

喝

When the muchacho on siesta looks up and opens his mouth to talk, his voice is so hoarse you cannot understand him. [11]

淸 淹


492

kudzu

葛

Kudzu is a word taken over from the Japanese to name the crawling vines that creep up and completely take over trees. Seeing it at its worst in the Georgia countryside makes it easy to understand why it has a reputation as the “plague of the South.” From there it should not be hard to arrange the primitives, flowers and siesta into a memorable image. [11]

鰉 


493

delicious

旨

Something is so downright delicious that one spends the entire day with a spoon in hand gobbling it up. [6]

淺 添


494

fat

脂

This kanji tells us that if you feed the flesh with too many delicious things, it soon picks up a thick layer of fat. [10]

淼 清


495

visit a shrine

詣

Here you “savor your words” as something delicious when you describe your recent visit to a shrine or pilgrimage site. [13]

鰊 


496

i (one)

壱

The Roman numeral i—like that for ii we met earlier in frame 379—is only rarely used now. In the midst of all the samurai, we notice one in particular sitting on the ground with a crown on his head, indicating that he is “number i” in the current rankings. [7]

渇 済 渉


*

reclining

育

The picture is obvious: the first stroke represents the head, and the second the body of someone reclining. You may also use the synonyms lying or lying down. [2]

渤 渟


497

every

毎

“Behind every successful person lies a woman…,” who usually turns out to be one’s mama! [6]

渊 渋


498

cleverness

敏

Behind every successful taskmaster, the cleverness of a fox to outwit his charges. [10]

渓 渕


499

plum

梅

Behind every Jack Horner’s pie maker, a tree full of plums. [10]

渙 渚


500

sea

海

Behind every drop of water, a sea from which it originated. [9]

減 渝


501

beg

乞

See someone lying down in a public place with a hook in place of a hand, begging a morsel of rice or a few pence. [3]

渟 渠


502

drought

乾

In times of drought anything at all will do. Here we see the victims begging for just a little mist for relief. [11]

渡 渣


*

double back



Either the idea of turning around and heading back during one’s travels, or of folding an object in half will do. The kanji depicts someone doubling back to the nearest inn to lie down and rest a weary pair of walking legs after a full day’s voyage. [9]

渦 渧 温


503

abdomen

腹

If you double back (fold over) most animals—or people, for that matter—in the middle, the part of the body where the crease comes is the abdomen. [13]

渫 測


504

duplicate

複

In its original and etymologically transparent sense, to duplicate something means to double it back with a fold, like the fold of a cloak. [14]

渭 渮


505

lack

欠

The pictograph hidden in this character is of someone yawning. The first stroke shows the head thrown back; the second, the arm bent at the elbow as the hand reaches up to cover the mouth; and the last two, the legs. Since yawning shows a lack of something (psychologically, interest; physiologically, sleep), the connection is plain to see. [4]

港 游 渹 渺

When used as a primitive element, this kanji can mean either yawn or lack.


506

blow

吹

To blow is really no more than a deliberate effort to make one’s mouth lack all the air that is in it. [7]

渼 渾


507

cook

炊

Better to picture what happens when you do not pay attention to your work in the kitchen. Here we see a blazing fire and an inattentive, yawning cook who let things get out of control. [8]

湃 湊


508

song

歌

The song in this kanji is being sung by a chorus line of can-can girls. Why it should be eliciting nothing but yawning from the audience, I leave to you to decide. [14]

濘 濛


509

soft

軟

This key word connotes the “next in line” of a succession of people or things. Let there be a lack of ice on the hottest day of summer, and you stand impatiently in line waiting for the distributor to call out “Next!” [6]

湍 湎


510

next

次

Earlier we made mention of the story of Briar Rose (or “Sleeping Beauty,” as we called her in frame 165) and drew attention to the briar hedge that grew up all about her castle. But in the second part of the story, these briars blossomed into flowers. Hence her name, Briar Rose. Be careful not to confuse this character with that for thorn (frame 446). [9]

湖 湘

As a primitive, this character can either retain its key word meaning of next or the related meaning of second.


511

briar

茨

The first shells (money) you earn, you use to pay your debts. From then on, the next shells you accumulate become your assets. [13]

湛 湜


512

assets

資

The first shells (money) you earn, you use to pay your debts. From then on, the next shells you accumulate become your assets. [13]

湟 湧


513

figure

姿

This kanji depicts a woman’s figure as a sort of second self. [9]

湫 湮


514

consult with

諮

To seek the words of a second mouth is to consult with someone about something. [16]

湯 湲 湶


Lesson 19

We conclude Part Two by picking up most of the remaining primitives that can be built up from elements already at our disposal, and learning the kanji that are based on them. When you have completed this section, run through all the frames from Lesson 13 on, jotting down notes at any point you think helpful. That way, even if you have not made any notations on your review cards, you will at least have some record of the images you used.

*

muzzle



The element for muzzle shows a vase fixed over a mouth, perhaps with a rubber band running around the back of the head to keep it in place. [8]

湾 湿


515

compensation

賠

Picture a clam used as a muzzle to quiet the complaints of a fisherman’s widow asking compensation for her husband lost at sea. [15]

満 溂


516

cultivate

培

The barrel hoops used by many Japanese farmers to stretch clear plastic over row of vegetables in a garden patch in the hopes of cultivating bigger and bigger vegetables is a way of muzzling the soil. [11]

溌 溏


517

divide

剖

To “divide and conquer” you use a saber and a muzzle. [10]

源 準


518

sound

音

The kanji for sound depicts something standing in the air over a tongue wagging in a mouth, much the same as a sound does for the briefest of moments before disappearing. [9]

溘 溜

The primitive from this kanji also means simply a sound.


519

darkness

暗

When “darkness covered the earth” at the beginning of time, there was neither sun nor sound. [13]

溝 溟


520

rhyme

韻

Poetry restricted to verses that rhyme often finds it has to abandon clarity of thought in order to make the rhyme of the words work. In this kanji’s picture, one becomes a kind of “sound-employee.” [19]

溢 溥


*

kazoo



This primitive’s special usefulness lies not in its frequency but in its simplification of a few otherwise difficult kanji. It pictures the sound of a fiesta, namely a kazoo. Note how the element for sound is written first, the fifth stroke extended so that it can be used in the element for fiesta. [12]

溶 溷 滂 滉


521

discriminating

識

A person of discriminating intellect can tell the difference between mere kazoo-buzzing and words spoken wisely. [19]

滋 滌


*

mirror

竟

This primitive gets its meaning from the following frame. It shows a pair of human legs and a tongue-wagging mouth looking at a mirror standing on the wall, asking perhaps who might be the fairest of them all. [11]

滑 滓 澁


522

mirror

鏡

After lakes but before glass, polished metal was used for mirrors. These metal mirrors are recalled in this character for a mirror. [19]

滔 滕


523

boundary

境

Imagine the boundary of a plot of land marked with gigantic mirrors enabling the landowner to keep trespassers in sight at all times. [14]

滝 滞


524

deceased

亡

A top hat hanging on a hook in the front hall, right where the deceased left it the day he died, reminds us of him and his kanji. [3]

滬 滯

In addition to deceased, the primitive meaning of to perish will also be used for this character.


525

blind

盲

If one’s eyes perish before death, one remains blind for the rest of life. [8]

滲 滴


526

delusion

妄

The “ideal woman” one daydreams about is no more than a delusion. Hence, perish the thought of her. [6]

滷 滸


527

laid waste

荒

The flowers that perish in the flood are taken here as symbols of an area that has been laid waste. [9]

滾 滿 漁


528

ambition

望

The story of ambition talks of a king walking under the perishing (or “waning”) moon dreaming great dreams about his kingdom. (The roots of ambition are from the same word as “ambulate,” meaning to walk about.) [11]

漂 漆 漉


529

direction

方

Spinning a dagger about on its hilt on the top of a top hat—waiting to see in which direction it points when it comes to rest—one leaves to fate where one is going next.

Take care in writing this character to extend the last stroke to the horizontal line. You may also identify the primitive elements as top hat and ten thousand if you wish. [4]

漏 漑 澂

As a primitive, this character will take the sense of a compass, the instrument used to determine direction.


530

disturb

妨

Imagine a compass that is disturbed every time a woman passes by, sending the needle spinning madly round and round. [7]

漓 演


531

boy

坊

The character for a boy shows us a Boy Scout cleaning the dirt out of his compass—the more dirt, the better. [7]

漕 漠


532

perfumed

芳

Here we see a special compass used to pick out those flowers most suited for making good perfumes. [7]

漢 漣


533

obese

肪

If you eat too much, you may need a compass to find your way around the obese mass of flesh that piles up in your midsection. Compare this with the stories for round (frame 44) and fat (frame 494), similar in meaning but distinct in imagery. [8]

漫 漬


534

call on

訪

When making a courtesy call on a dignitary, one has to gauge one’s words with great care. Hence the need for a compass. [11]

漱 漲


535

set free

放

The taskmaster sets an unruly servant free, giving him no more than a quick glance at the compass and a boot from behind. [8]

漸 漾


536

violent

激

Some cosmic taskmaster hovering overhead whips up the waves to make them dash violently against the shore. In the white foam that covers the water we see a broken compass floating, all that remains of a shipwreck. [16]

漿 潁 潅 潔


*

devil



The two horns on the head of the teenager are enough to suggest to most parents of adolescents a good image of a devil. [7]

潘 潛


537

undress

脱

To undress is to expose the flesh and tempt the devil in the eyes of one’s onlookers. Ignore the moral if you want, but not the devil. [11]

潜 潟


538

explanation

説

Not inappropriately, this character likens an explanation to the devil’s own words. [14]

潤 潦


539

pointed

鋭

Metal that has been pointed (as an awl, a pick, a nail, or a knife) tends to serve the devil’s purposes as well as civilization’s: our tools are also our weapons. [15]

潭 潮


540

formerly

曽

This primitive (named for its associations with the kanji of the following frame) is composed of a pair of horns growing out of a brain with a tongue wagging in the mouth beneath. Think of “former” in connection with administrators or heads of state who have just left office but continue to make a nuisance of themselves by advertising their opinions on public policy. [11]

潯 潰 潴

The primitive meaning, increase, comes from the next frame. Always think of something multiplying wildly as you watch.


541

increase

増

This kanji depicts an increase of soil, multiplying so fast that it literally buries everything in its path. [14]

潸 潺


542

presents

贈

The presents offered here are money that increases each time you give it away. Do not confuse with the temporal word “present” (frame 275). [18]

潼 澀


543

east

東

As a “Western” language, English identifies the east with the rising sun. In more fanciful terms, we see the sun piercing through a tree as it rises in the east. [8]

澄 澆 澈 澎 澑 澗 澡 澣

Both the direction east and the part of the world called “the East” are primitive meanings of this character.


544

ridgepole

棟

If the piece of wood in the roof known as the ridgepole points east, the sunrise will be visible from the front door. [12]

澤 澪 並


545

frozen

凍

The whole secret to breaking the ice with the East is to peek behind those mysteriously “frozen smiles.” [10]

澱 澳


*

porter

壬

Let the extended dot at the top represent the load that the samurai is carrying in his role as the master’s porter. [4]

澵 澹


546

pregnancy

妊

A woman who is in her pregnancy is a bit like a porter, bearing her new companion wherever she goes. [7]

激 濁


547

courts

廷

Those who rule the courts, the porters of justice and order, are often found to stretch the law to suit their own purposes. Recall the kanji for prolong from frame 419 and keep it distinct. [7]

濂 濃


part three

Elements

We come now to the third major step in our study of the kanji: the invention of plots from primitive elements. From now on, the ordering of the remaining characters according to their primitives will be taken care of, but the reader will be required to do most of the work. As before, particularly difficult kanji will be supplied with supplementary hints, plots, or even whole stories.

You should now have a feel for the way details can be worked into a kanji story so as to create a more vivid ambience for the primitive elements to interact. What may be more difficult is experimenting with plots and discarding them until the simplest one is fixed on, and then embellished and nuanced. You may find it helpful occasionally to study some of the earlier stories that you found especially impressive, in order to discover precisely why they struck you, and then to imitate their vitality in the stories you will now be inventing. Equally helpful will be any attention you give to those characters whose stories you have found it difficult to remember, or have easily confused with those of other characters. As you progress through this final section, you may wish even to return and amend some of those earlier stories. But do it with the knowledge that once a story has been learned, it is generally better to review it and perhaps repair it slightly than to discard it entirely and start over.

Lesson 20

To begin our work with the primitives alone, let us take six kanji of varying difficulty that use primitives we have already learned, and that have been kept apart deliberately for the sake of this initial sally into independent learning.

548

dye

染

Water . . . nine . . . tree. From those elements you must compose a plot for the key word, dye. Here, as elsewhere, any of the alternate meanings of the primitives may be used, provided they do not require a position other than that of the kanji in question. [9]

濮 濯 濱


549

burn

燃

Hearth . . . sort of thing. Beware of letting the simple reading off of the primitive elements do your work for you. Unless you make a vivid image of something burning and relate it just as vividly to those primitive meanings, you can count on forgetting this character very quickly. [16]

濳 濵


550

V.I.P.

賓

The V.I.P. indicated here is an important guest making a visit. The elements are: house . . . ceiling . . . few . . . shells. [15]

濶 濺 濾 瀁


551

year-end

歳

Stop . . . march . . . little. Be sure not to forget that final dot in the element for march. [13]

瀅 瀇 瀉 瀋


552

prefecture

県

Above, an eye and a fishhook, and below the primitive for little. Although apparently the simplest of these first six kanji, when you begin to work on its plot and story you will soon find out that the number of strokes and visual complexity of a kanji does not make it easier or harder to remember. It is the primitives you have to work that are the critical factor, as in this case where the meaning of the key word is so seemingly distant from the elements. Remember, you can always break larger elements down (eye of a needle into eye and fishhook) if you think it helps. [9]

瀏 瀑


553

horse chestnut

栃

A tree . . . cliff . . . ten thousand. [9]

瀕 瀘 瀚


Lesson 21

If you found some of the characters in the last brief lesson difficult to work with, I assure you that it will get easier with time, indeed already with this long lesson. More important is to take heed that as it does get easier you don’t skip over the stories too quickly, trusting only in the most superficial of images. If you spend up to five minutes on each character focusing on the composition of the primitives into a tidy plot, and then filling out the details of a little story, you will not be wasting time, but saving yourself the time it takes to relearn it later.

*

scorpion

也

This primitive is a pictograph of the scorpion, the first 2 strokes representing its head and pincers, the last stroke its barbed tail, in which you may recognize the fishhook. [3]

瀛 瀝 瀞


554

ground

地

Soil and a scorpion (an “earth animal”). This is, of course, the full character from which the primitive for ground derives. [6]

瀟 瀦


555

pond

池

Water . . . scorpion. It would be easy to slip into a “lazy image” in cases like this one, picturing, let us say, a scorpion near the water. But if you picture rather a scorpion letting its venom out drop by drop until it has made a whole pond of the stuff, the image is more likely to remain fixed. [6]

瀧 瀨


556

insect

虫

Work with the pictograph as you wish. [6]

瀬 瀰 瀲 瀾

As a primitive, this insect will refer to the whole insect kingdom;, it can be specified for each kanji that contains it.


557

lightning bug

蛍

Schoolhouse . . . insect. [11]

灌 灑


558

snake

蛇

Insect . . . house . . . spoon. [11]

灘 灣 火


559

rainbow

虹

Insect . . . craft. [9]

灯 灰


560

butterfly

蝶

Insect . . . generation . . . tree. [15]

灸 灼 災


561

single

独

Think of this key word in connection with bachelorhood. The elements: wild dogs . . . insect. [9]

炅 炉


562

silkworm

蚕

Heavens . . . insect. Be sure to do something about the position of the two elements. [10]

焉 焄


563

wind

風

Windy . . . drops of . . . insects. Hint: think of the last two primitives as representing a swarm of gnats, those tiny drops of pesky insects. [9]

炊 炎 炒


564

self

己

The kanji carries the abstract sense of the self, the deep-down inner structure of the human person that mythology has often depicted as a snake—which is what the kanji shows pictographically. Be sure to keep it distinct from the similar key words, oneself (frame 36) and I (frame 17). [3]

炙 炫 炬

As a primitive element, this kanji can be used for the snake—of which it is a pictograph—or any of the various concrete symbolic meanings the snake has in myth and fable.


565

rouse

起

Run . . . snake. [10]

炭 炮


566

queen

妃

Woman . . . snake. [6]

炯 炳


567

reformation

改

Pluralizing the snake and focusing on a single taskmaster may help recommend the image of Ireland’s most famous reformer, St. Patrick, who, legend has it, drove away the snakes from the land. [7]

炸 点


568

scribe

記

Words . . . snake. [10]

為 炻


569

wrap

包

Bind up . . . snake. [5]

烈 烋

The primitive meaning of wrap should always be used with the snake in mind to avoid confusion with similar terms. Just let “wrap” mean “with a snake coiled about it.”


570

placenta

胞

Part of the body . . . wrap. [9]

烏 烙


571

cannon

砲

Stones . . . wrap. [10]

烝 烟


572

bubble

泡

Water . . . wrap. [8]

烱 烹


573

tortoise

亀

This is not a turtle (see frame 250) but a tortoise, however you wish to picture the difference. Let the “bound up” at the top refer to the head, and the two suns, with a long tail running through it, to the shell. [11]

焔 焙 焚

When this kanji is abbreviated to its bottom half (),  it takes the primitive meaning of an eel. When only the first two strokes are omitted (), it will mean a bucket of eels. Examples of this latter will not appear until Vol. 3.



574

electricity

電

Rain/weather . . . eel. [13]

焜 無


575

dragon

竜

Vase . . . eel. In order not to confuse this kanji with the zodiacal sign of the dragon, which we will meet later (frame 2164) and use as a primitive, you might think here of a paper parade dragon. [10]

焦 然


576

waterfall

滝

Water . . . vase . . . eels. To avoid the confusion mentioned in the previous frame, the character learned there for dragon should not be used as a primitive. [13]

焼 煆 煇


*

sow

豕

Let this primitive represent a fat sow. Easier than pulling it apart into smaller elements is remembering its shape as a highly stylized pictograph. Practice its 7 strokes a few times before going on to examples of its use in the next six frames. [7]

煉 煌 煎 煕 煖 煙 煜


577

pork

豚

Flesh . . . sow. [11]

煢 煤


578

pursue

逐

Sows . . . road. [10]

煥 煦


579

consummate

遂

The horns atop the sow suggest a boar at work in the background. Add the element for a road. Now create a story whose meaning is: consummate. [12]

照 煩 煬


580

house

家

This is the full character whose primitive form we learned already. To help a little, this kanji recalls the times when the “domestic” animals were, as the word itself suggests, really kept in the house. Hence: house . . . sow. [10]

煮 煽


581

marry into

嫁

The kanji in this frame demonstrates the traditional Japanese approach to marriage: it is the woman who leaves her family for another household, thus marrying into a man’s family. [13]

熄 熈


582

overpowering

豪

Tall . . . crowned . . . sow. [14]

熊 熏 熔


*

piglets



This abbreviation of the full primitive for a sow, quite naturally, means piglets. [5]

熕 熙 熟 熨 熬


*

piggy bank

昜

This very helpful primitive element is worth the few moments it takes to learn it. Just remember that each day you put a few pennies into the back of the little piglet on your bureau that you call a piggy bank. [9]

熱 熹


583

intestines

腸

Flesh . . . piggy bank. [13]

熾 燁


584

location

場

Soil . . . piggy bank. [12]

燃 燈


585

hot water

湯

Water . . . piggy bank. [12]

燉 燎


586

sheep

羊

This pictograph shows the animal horns at the top attached to the head (3rd stroke), the front and back legs (strokes 4 and 5) and body (final stroke). [6]

燐 燒 燔

The primitive meaning of sheep can add the further connotations given in the following frame. As we saw with the cow, the “tail” is cut off when it is set immediately over another element: . Note the change in stroke order, as exemplified in the following frame.



587

beauty

美

Try to think of what the Chinese were on to when they associated the idea of beauty with a large sheep. [9]

餮 餽 餾 饂 饅


588

ocean

洋

Water . . . sheep. Be sure to keep the stories and key word of this kanji distinct from those for sea. (frame 500). [9]

營 燠


589

detailed

詳

Words/speaking . . . sheep. [13]

燥 燦


590

fresh

鮮

Fish . . . sheep. [17]

燧 燬


591

accomplished

達

The key word is meant to connote someone “skilled” at something. On the road we find soil over a sheep. You may have to work with this one a while longer. [12]

燭 燮 燵


592

envious

羨

Sheep . . . water . . . yawn/lack. Although this character looks rather simple, special care should be taken in learning it because of the proximity of the final two elements to the character for next, which we learned in frame 510. Note, too, that the water comes under the sheep, rather than on its own to the left. [13]

燹 燻 燼


*

wool



This rather uncommon primitive is made by pulling the tail of the sheep to one side to create a semi-enclosure. The meaning of wool is derived from the fact that the shearer is holding the sheep by the tail in order to trim its wool. [7]

燾 燿


593

distinction

差

Wool . . . craft. [10]

爆 爍


594

don

着

I cannot resist doing this one for you, since it clearly describes donning (putting on) one’s clothes as “pulling the wool over one’s eyes.” [12]

爐 爛


*

turkey

隹

This primitive is best remembered as an old turkey, complete with pipe and monocle. Its writing is somewhat peculiar, so take note of the order of the strokes. Let the first four strokes stand for the turkey’s head, neck, and drooping chin. The remainder can then be pictographic of the plumage. [8]

爨 爪 爬 爭 爰 爲 爵 父


595

solely

唯

Mouth . . . turkey. [11]

爺 爻


596

piled high

堆

Soil . . . turkey. [11]

 


597

sweet oak

椎

Tree . . . turkey. [12]

 


598

who

誰

Words . . . turkey. [15]

 


599

char

焦

Turkey . . . oven fire. [12]

爼 爽


600

reef

礁

Rocks . . . char. [17]

爾 爿


601

gather

集

Turkeys . . . atop a tree. [12]

牀 牆


602

quasi-

准

Ice . . . turkey. [10]

片 版


603

advance

進

Turkey . . . road. [11]

牋 牌


604

miscellaneous

雑

Baseball . . . trees . . . turkey. [14]

牒 牘 牙


605

female

雌

This character for female forms a pair with that for male, which we will learn later (frame 804). The elements: footprint . . . spoon . . . turkey. [14]

牛 牝 牟


606

semi-

準

Think of this in terms of the semifinals of some sports competition. Water . . . turkeys . . . needle. [13]

牡 牢 牣


607

stirred up

奮

St. Bernard dog . . . turkey . . . rice field/brains. [16]

牧 物 牲


608

rob

奪

Whereas burglary (frame 381) implies clandestine appropriation of another’s property, robbery refers to taking by force. The primitive elements: St. Bernard dog . . . turkey . . . glue. [14]

牴 特 牽


609

assurance

確

On the left you see the rock, which is familiar enough. But pay attention to the right. Taking careful note of the unusual stroke order that has the “chimney” on the house doubled up with the first stroke of the turkey, we may see the right side as a turkey house (or “coop”).

We shall see this pattern only on one other occasion (frame 2093), but even for these two characters it is well worth the trouble to single it out as a primitive. [15]

牾 犀 犁 犂


610

noon

午

With a bit of stretching, you might see a horse’s head pointing leftward in this character. That gives the primary meaning of the Chinese zodiacal sign of the horse, which corresponds to the hour of noon. Note how this kanji primitive differs from that for cow (frame 260). [4]

犒 犖 犠 犢

As a primitive, this character gets the meaning of a horse. Any horse image will do, except that of a team of horses, which will come later (frame 2132) and get its own primitive.


611

permit

許

Words . . . horse. [11]

犧 犬


*

Pegasus



By combining the horse (giving a twist to its final stroke a bit to the left to keep the strokes from overlapping) with the turkey, we get a flying horse or Pegasus. Be sure not to confuse with the rarer element for turkey house that was introduced in frame 609. [11]

犯 犱


612

delight

歓

Again I cannot resist sharing my own associations. If you’ve ever seen Disney’s animated interpretation of classical music, “Fantasia,” you will recall what was done there with Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony” (the 6th), and the flying horses that figured in it. The mares are bathing in the stream and the stallions begin to gather. As dusk sets in, the flying horses all start yawning and pair off for the night: a perfectly delightful portrait of delight. [15]

犲 状


613

authority

権

Tree . . . Pegasus. [15]

犹 犾


614

outlook

観

Pegasus . . . see. [18]

狂 狃


615

feathers

羽

From the pictograph of two bird-wings, we get feathers. [6]

狄 狆 狎 狐

The related image of wings can be added as a primitive meaning. It can also take the form  when used as a primitive, as we shall see in frames 618 and 619.


616

learn

習

Feathers . . . white bird. [11]

狒 狗


617

the following

翌

Feathers . . . vase. Be sure to contrast the connotation of this key word with that for next (frame 510). [11]

狙 狛


618

weekday

曜

Day . . . feathers . . . turkey. [18]

狠 狡 狢


619

laundry

濯

Water . . . feathers . . . turkey [17]

狩 独 狭


Lesson 22

This is a good time to stop for a moment and have a look at how primitive elements get contracted and distorted by reason of their position within a kanji. Reference has been made to the fact here and there in passing, but now that you have attained greater fluency in writing, we may address the phenomenon more systematically.

  1. At the left, a primitive will generally be squeezed in from the sides and slanted upwards. For instance, gold 金 comes to be written 胤 when it functions as the primitive for metal. Or again, tree has its kanji form 木 flattened into 胥 when it comes to the left.
  2. Long strokes ending in a hook, which would normally flow out gracefully, are squeezed into angular form when made part of a primitive at the left. We see this in the way the kanji for ray 光 gets altered to 胯 in the kanji for radiance 輝. In like manner, the spoon that is spread out on the right side of compare 比 is turned in on itself on the left. Certain characters are pressed down and widened when weighted down by other elements from above. Such is the case, for example, with woman, which is flattened into 胱 when it appears in the lowest position of banquet 宴.
  3. A long vertical stroke cutting through a series of horizontal lines is often cut off below the lowest horizontal line. We saw this in changing the cow 牛 to fit it in revelation 告, the sheep 羊 to fit in beauty 美, and the brush 聿 that appeared in the kanji for write 書.
  4. The long downward swooping stroke that we see in fire is an example of another group of distortions. Crowded in by something to its right, it is turned into a short stroke that bends downwards: 胴. Hence fire 火 and lamp 灯.
  5. Again, we have seen how horizontal lines can double up as the bottom of the upper primitive and the top of the lower primitive. For instance, when stand 立 comes in the primitive for make a deal 商.
  6. Finally, there are situations in which an entire kanji is changed to assume a considerably altered primitive form. Water 水, fire 火, and portent 兆 thus become ⺡, ⺣, and 肇 in other characters. Because the full forms are also used as primitives, we have altered the meaning or given distinctions in meaning in order to be sure that the story in each case dictates precisely how the character is to be written.

From this chapter on, the stroke order will not be given unless it is entirely new, departs from the procedures we have learned so far, or might otherwise cause confusion. Should you have any trouble with the writing of a particular primitive, you can refer to Index II which will direct you to the page where that primitive was first introduced.

With that, we carry on.

*

pent in

囗

This primitive depicts a corral or pen surrounding something, which is thus pent in. [3]

狷 狸 狹


620

sayeth

曰

Pent in . . . one. The key word refers to famous sayings of famous people, and is the origin for the primitive meaning of a tongue wagging in the mouth that we learned in frame 12. The size of this kanji, a relatively rare one, is what distinguishes it from day. [4]

狼 狽 猊


621

quandary

困

Pent in . . . trees. [7]

猖 猗 猛 猜 猝 猟 猤


622

harden

固

Pent in . . . old. Leave the people out of your story to avoid complications later when we add the element for person to form a new kanji (frame 1047). [8]


623

weld

錮

Metal . . . harden. [16]


624

country

国

Pent in . . . jewels. [8]


625

group

団

Pent in . . . glued. [6]


626

cause

因

Pent in . . . St Bernard dog. [6]


627

matrimony

姻

Woman . . . cause. Think here of the “state of matrimony” and you will not confuse it with other characters involving marriage, one of which we have already met (frame 581). [9]


628

windpipe

咽

Mouth . . . cause. [9]


629

park

園

Pent in . . . lidded crock . . . scarf. [13]


630

-times

回

The suffix “-times” refers to a number of repetitions. Its elements: pent in . . . mouth. Hint: you may find it more helpful to forget the primitives and think of one circle revolving inside of another. [6]

猥 猩 猪


631

podium

壇

Soil/ground . . . top hat . . . -times . . . nightbreak. With kanji as difficult as this one, it generally pays to toy with the various connotations of its primitives before settling on one image. Aim for as much simplicity as you can. [16]


*

cave

广

This primitive combines the cliff (the last 2 strokes) with the first dot we use on the roof of the house. Together they make a “cliff house” or cave. It “encloses” its relative primitives beneath it and to the right. [3]

猫 献 猯


632

store

店

Cave . . . fortune-telling. [8]

猴 猶


633

warehouse

庫

Cave . . . car. [10]


634

courtyard

庭

Cave . . . courts. [10]


635

government office

庁

Cave . . . a spike. [5]


636

bed

床

Cave . . . tree. [7]


637

hemp

麻

Cave . . . grove. If it helps, this is the hemp marijuana comes from. [11]


638

grind

磨

Hemp . . . stone. [16]

猷 猾


639

heart

心

This character, a pictographic representation of the heart, is among the most widely used primitives we shall meet. [4]

猿 獄 獅 獎

As a primitive, it can take three forms, to which we shall assign three distinct meanings.

In its kanji-form, it appears beneath or to the right of its relative primitive and means the physical organ of the heart.

To the left, it is abbreviated to three strokes, ⺖, and means a wildly emotional state of mind.

And finally, at the very bottom, it can take the form , in which case we give it the meaning of a valentine.


640

forget

忘

Perish . . . heart. [7]


641

selfish

恣

Second . . . heart. [10]


642

endure

忍

Blade . . . heart. Endure here means long-suffering patience. [7]


643

acknowledge

認

Words . . . endure. [14]


644

mourning

忌

Snake . . . heart. [7]


645

intention

志

Samurai . . . heart. [7]


646

document

誌

Words . . . intention. [14]


647

wick

芯

Flowers . . . heart. [7]


648

loyalty

忠

In the middle of a . . . heart. [8]


649

shish kebab

串

This pictograph of two pieces of meat on a skewer, a shish kebab, will help us in the next frame. [7]

獏 獗 獣


650

afflicted

患

Shish kebab . . . heart. [11]


651

think

思

Brains . . . heart. [9]


652

grace

恩

Take grace in its sense of a favor freely bestowed, not in its meaning of charming manners or fluid movement. The primitives: cause . . . heart. [10]


653

apply

応

Cave . . . heart. The sense of the key word here is of something appropriate that fills a particular need, and hence “applies.” [7]


654

idea

意

Sound . . . heart. [13]


655

cowardice

臆

Flesh . . . idea. [17]


656

concept

想

To distinguish this kanji from that of the previous frame, focus on the sense of the “con-” in the word “concept.” Its elements are: inter- . . . heart. [13]


657

breath

息

Nose . . . heart. [10]


658

recess

憩

Tongue . . . nose . . . heart. The sense of breath from the last frame should not be used; it could lead you to put only the nose over the heart and leave the tongue off to one side. [16]


659

favor

恵

Ten . . . fields (or: needle . . . brains) . . . heart. [10]


660

fear

恐

Craft . . . mediocre . . . heart. [10]


661

beguile

惑

The first three elements, mouth . . . floor . . . fiesta, appeared together once already in frame 380. Beneath them, once again, the heart. [12]


662

emotion

感

March of . . . mouths . . . heart. [13]


663

melancholy

憂

Head . . . crown . . . heart . . . walking legs. Two things merit mention here. First, the doubling-up of the last stroke of head with the top of the crown serves to make the whole more aesthetically beautiful. It happens so rarely that the exceptions are easily learned. Second, try to make a single image out of the four elements. (Religious statuary of melancholy figures should offer plenty of suggestions.) [15]

獨 獪 獰 獲


664

widow

寡

House . . . head . . . dagger. Immediately we get another instance of a very odd exception. Notice how the final stroke of the head is lengthened, giving the final two strokes a chance to stretch out and make room for the dagger that fits in beneath. [14]

獵 獷 獸 獺 獻


665

busy

忙

State of mind . . . perish. [6]

航 舫 般 舮 舳 舵


666

ecstasy

悦

State of mind . . . devil. [10]


667

constancy

恒

State of mind . . . span. [9]


668

lament

悼

To keep this character distinct from others of similar connotation, one need only think of the Prophet Jeremiah whose poetry gave an eminence to the state of mind we call lamentation. [11]


669

enlightenment

悟

I know of an Indian religious sect which teaches that enlightenment is to be had by covering the eyes with one’s index fingers, the ears with the thumbs, and the mouth with the little fingers. While these differ a bit from the five holes that we used to represent the “I” (frame 17), the idea of achieving a special state of mind by covering those five places can help you learn this kanji. You might try the position out while you are learning this character. [10]


670

dreadful

怖

State of mind . . . linen. [8]


671

disconcerted

慌

State of mind . . . laid waste. [12]


672

repent

悔

State of mind . . . every (see frame 497). [9]


673

hate

憎

State of mind . . . increase. [14]


674

accustomed

慣

State of mind . . . pierce. [14]


675

pleasure

愉

State of mind . . . meeting of butchers (see frame 307). [12]


676

lazy

惰

State of mind . . . left (i.e. “sinister”) . . . flesh. [12]


677

humility

慎

State of mind . . . true. [13]


678

remorse

憾

State of mind . . . emotion. Hint: the etymology of “remorse” indicates a memory that returns again and again to “bite at” one’s conscience and disturb one’s peace of mind. [16]


679

recollection

憶

State of mind . . . idea. [16]


680

disquieting

S

State of mind . . . tool. [11]


681

yearn

憧

Think of the state of mind you were in as a child with a particularly juvenile yearning. [15]


682

hanker

憬

State of mind . . . scenery. [15]


683

pining

慕

Graveyard . . . valentine. Note carefully the stroke order of the valentine primitive. [14]

玄 率 玉 王 玖


684

annexed

添

Water . . . witch . . . valentine. [11]


685

invariably

必

First note the stroke order of this character, which did not really evolve from the heart, even though we take it that way. If one takes it as a pictograph “dividing” the heart in half, then one has one of those invariably true bits of human anatomy: the fact that each heart is divided into two halves. [5]

玩 玲 玳 玻 玽


686

ooze

泌

Water . . . the invariably divided heart. [8]


Lesson 23

When you finish this lengthy lesson you shall have passed well beyond one-third of our way through this book. Here we focus on elements having to do with hands and arms. As always, the one protection you have against confusing the elements is to form clear and distinct images the first time you meet them. If you make it through this chapter smoothly, the worst will be behind you and you should have nothing more to fear the rest of the way.

687

hand

手

Any way you count them, there are either too many or too few fingers to see a good pictograph of a hand in this character. But that it is, and so you must. [4]

珀 珂 珈 珉

Keep to the etymology when using this kanji as a primitive: a single hand all by itself.


688

watch over

看

Hand . . . eyes. [9]

珊 珍


689

chafe

摩

Hemp . . . hand. [15]


690

ego

我

Hand . . . fiesta. Note how the second stroke of the hand is stretched across to double up as the first stroke of the tasseled arrow we use for fiesta. Compare to frames 17, 36, and 564. [7]

珎 珒 珖 珞 珠 珣 珥


691

righteousness

義

Sheep . . . ego. [13]


692

deliberation

議

Words . . . righteousness. [20]


693

sacrifice

犠

Cow . . . righteousness. Do not use the image of an animal sacrifice here, as that will have its own character later on. [17]


*

fingers

⺘

This alternate form of the primitive for hand we shall use to represent finger or fingers. It always appears at the left. [3]

珪 班 珮


694

rub

抹

Fingers . . . extremity. [8]


695

wipe

拭

Fingers . . . style. [9]


696

yank

拉

The sense of this key word is to pull or jerk, as in opening a door or making “ramen” noodles. Its elements: fingers . . . vase. [8]


697

embrace

抱

Fingers . . . wrap. [8]


698

board

搭

The key word refers to boarding vessels for travel. Its elements are: finger . . . flowers . . . fit together (see frame 270). [12]


699

extract

抄

Fingers . . . a few. [7]


700

confront

抗

Fingers . . . a whirlwind. [7]


701

criticism

批

Finger . . . compare. [7]


702

beckon

招

Finger . . . seduce. [8]


703

clear the land

拓

Fingers . . . rocks. [8]


704

clap

拍

Fingers . . . white. [8]


705

strike

打

Finger . . . spike. [5]


706

arrest

拘

Fingers . . . phrase. [8]


707

discard

捨

Fingers . . . cottage. [11]


708

kidnap

拐

Finger . . . mouth . . . dagger. [8]


709

pinch

摘

Finger . . . antique. [14]


710

challenge

挑

Fingers . . . portent. [9]


711

finger

指

Finger . . . delicious. [9]


712

hold

持

Fingers . . . Buddhist temple. [9]


713

imminent

拶

Fingers . . . flood . . . evening. [9]


714

fasten

括

Finger . . . tongue. [9]


715

brandish

揮

Finger . . . chariot. [12]


716

conjecture

推

Fingers . . . turkey. [11]


717

hoist

揚

Fingers . . . piggy bank. [12]


718

propose

提

Fingers . . . just so. [12]


719

damage

損

Finger . . . employee. [13]


720

pick up

拾

Fingers . . . fit together. Compare frame 698. [9]


721

shouldering

担

The key word of this frame refers to shouldering a burden of some sort. Its elements are: fingers . . . nightbreak. [8]


722

foothold

拠

Fingers . . . dispose. [8]


723

sketch

描

Fingers . . . seedling. [11]


724

maneuver

操

Fingers . . . goods . . . tree. [16]


725

touch

接

Fingers . . . vase . . . woman. [11]


726

put up a notice

掲

Fingers . . . siesta. [11]


727

hang

掛

Fingers . . . ivy . . . magic wand. [11]


728

make headway

捗

Let your fingers do the walking as you make headway through the Yellow Pages in search of something hard to find. [11]


*

two hands



Let this primitive represent a union of two hands, both of which are used at the same time. Whenever this element appears at the bottom of its relative primitive, the top line is omitted, whether or not there is a horizontal line to replace it. [4]

珵 珸 現 球 (鶫)


729

polish

研

Stone . . . two hands. [9]


730

commandment

戒

Two hands . . . fiesta. [7]

琅 理 琇


731

tinker with

弄

Ball . . . two hands. [7]


732

contraption

械

Tree . . . commandment. [11]


733

nose

鼻

Let me share a rather grotesque image to help with this kanji. Imagine taking your two hands and reaching up into someone’s nostrils. Once inside you grab hold of the brain and yank it out. At the end, you would have a picture something like that of this character, the full kanji for nose. [14]


734

punish

刑

Two hands . . . saber. [6]


735

mould

型

Punish . . . soil. In cases like this, you might find it easier to break the character up into its more basic elements, like this: two hands . . . saber . . . soil. [9]


736

genius

才

Whatever one is particularly adept at—one’s special “genius”—one can do very easily, “with one finger” as the phrase goes. This kanji is a pictograph of that one finger. Note how its distinctive form is created by writing the final stroke of the element for fingers backwards. [3]

琉 琢 琥

The primitive meaning, genie, derives from the roots of the word genius. Use the genie out in the open when the primitive appears to the right of or below its relative primitive; in that case it also keeps its same form. At the left, the form is altered to , and the meaning becomes a genie in the bottle.


737

property

財

Clam . . . genie. [10]


738

lumber

材

Tree . . . genie. [7]


739

suppose

存

Genie in the bottle . . . a child. Hint: focus on the key word’s connotation of “make believe”. [6]

琦 琩 琪 琮


740

exist

在

Genie in the bottle . . . soil. [6]


741

from

乃

This pictograph of a clenched fist is another of the “hand-primitives.” Take note of its rather peculiar drawing. Try to think of drawing a fist (the primitive meaning) “from” this character to give yourself a connotation for the otherwise abstract key word. [2]

琲 琳

The primitive meaning is taken from the pictograph: a fist.


742

portable

携

Fingers . . . turkey . . . fist. [13]


743

reach out

及

The addition of a final stroke transforms this character from the primitive for a clenched fist into the kanji for reaching out, much as a stroke of kindness can often turn anger into acceptance. [3]

琴 琵 琶

As a primitive, this shall stand for outstretched hands. Only take care not to confuse it with that for beg (frame 501)


744

suck

吸

Mouth . . . outstretched hands. Hint: use the image of a nursing baby. [6]


745

handle

扱

Finger . . . outstretched hands. [6]


*

arm



The picture of an arm dangling from the trunk of the body gives us the element for arm, or tucked under the arm (relative to the element below it). Examples of both usages follow. Unlike most primitives, the kanji that bears the same meaning (frame 1522) has absolutely no connection with it. [2]

琺 琿


746

length

丈

The length whose measure this kanji depicts extends from the tip of one hand to the tip of the other with arms at full length. Notice the final stroke, which cuts across the vertical second stroke to distinguish it from large (frame 112). [3]

瑁 瑕 瑙


747

history

史

A mouth . . . tucked under the arm. [5]

瑚 瑛 瑜


748

officer

吏

One . . . history. [6]


749

grow late

更

The implication behind the meaning of grow late is that things are changing in the same way that the day turns into night. The elements: ceiling . . . sun . . . tucked under the arm. [7]

瑞 瑟 瑠


750

stiff

硬

Rocks . . . grow late. [12]


751

spiny

梗

This character refers originally to a deciduous, rough tree that grows on mountain plains. From this it gets the secondary sense of rugged or spiny. Its primitive elements: tree . . . grow late. [11]


752

or again

又

Like the several abbreviations in Roman script to indicate “and” (+, &, etc.), this short two-stroke kanji is used for the similar meaning of or again. [2]

瑢 瑣

As a primitive, it will mean crotch, as in the crotch of the arm. Or whatever.


753

pair

双

The crotch reduplicated gives us a pair. [4]


754

mulberry

桑

Crotches, crotches everywhere . . . tree. Hint: think of a group of children playing an original version of “Here We Go ’Round the Mulberry Bush.” [10]


755

vessels

隻

The key word indicates the Japanese generic term for counting ships. Its elements: turkey . . . crotch. [10]


756

safeguard

護

Words . . . flowers . . . vessels. [20]


757

seize

獲

A pack of wild dogs . . . flowers . . . vessels. Do not confuse this with the character for arrest (frame 706). [16]


758

guy

奴

Woman . . . crotch. [5]


759

angry

怒

Guy . . . heart. [9]


760

friend

友

By one’s side . . . crotch. [4]

絎 絏 結 絖


761

slip out

抜

Fingers . . . friend. [7]


*

missile

殳

Although modern connotations are more suggestive, this primitive simply refers to something thrown as a weapon. Its elements: wind . . . crotch. [4]

瑪 瑯


762

throw

投

Fingers . . . missile. [7]


763

drown

没

Water . . . missile. [7]


764

thigh

股

Flesh . . . missile. [8]


765

establishment

設

Words . . . missile. [11]


766

beat

撃

Car . . . missile . . . hand. [15]

瑰 瑳 瑶


767

husk

殻

Samurai . . . superfluous . . . missile. [11]

瑾 璃 璉


768

branch

支

Needle . . . crotch. [4]

璋 璞


769

skill

技

Fingers . . . branch. [7]


770

bough

枝

Tree . . . branch. Take a moment to focus on the differences between a bough, a branch, and a twig (frame 319). [8]


771

limb

肢

Part of the body . . . branch. [8]


*

spool

圣

Here we see a simplified drawing of a spool (the element for earth at the bottom) with threads being wound about it tightly (the crotch at the top). You may remember it either pictographically or by way of the primitives. [5]

璟 璢


772

stalk

茎

Flower . . . spool. [8]


773

suspicious

怪

State of mind . . . spool. [8]


774

lightly

軽

Car . . . spool. [12]


775

uncle

叔

Above . . . little . . . crotch. [8]

璧 環 璽


776

coach

督

Uncle . . . eye. [13]


777

loneliness

寂

House . . . uncle. [11]


778

graceful

淑

Water . . . uncle. [11]


779

anti-

反

Cliff . . . crotch. [4]


780

slope

坂

Ground . . . anti-. [7]


781

plank

板

Tree . . . anti-. [8]


782

return

返

Anti- . . . road. [7]


783

marketing

販

Shells/money . . . anti-. [11]


784

claw

爪

This character is a pictograph of a bird’s claw, and from there comes to mean animal claws in general (including human fingernails). [4]

瓊 瓏 瓔 瓜

As a primitive, we shall use the graphic image of a vulture, a bird known for its powerful claws. It generally appears above another primitive, in which case it gets squeezed into the form 爫.


785

gentle

妥

Vulture . . . woman. [7]


*

fledgling

脆

The vulture and child combine to create the image of an aerie full of fledglings. [7]

瓠 瓢


786

milk

乳

Fledglings . . . hook. [8]


787

floating

浮

Water . . . fledglings. [10]


788

lewd

淫

Water . . . vulture . . . porter. [11]


789

leader

将

Turtle . . . vulture . . . glue. [10]


790

exhort

奨

Leader . . . St. Bernard dog. Do not confuse with urge (frame 300). [13]


791

grab

采

Vulture . . . tree. [8]


792

pick

採

Unlike pick up (frame 720), this character is used for picking fruits from trees. Its elements: finger . . . grab. [11]


793

vegetable

菜

Flower . . . grab. [11]


*

birdhouse

脇

The claw and crown of the roof of a house (whose chimney is displaced by the claw) combine to give us a birdhouse. [6]

瓣 瓦


794

accept

受

Birdhouse . . . crotch. [8]


795

impart

授

Fingers . . . accept. [11]


796

love

愛

Birdhouse . . . heart . . . walking legs. [13]

瓧 瓩 瓮


797

unclear

曖

Sun . . . love. [17]


*

elbow

厶

This pictograph of an arm bent at the elbow is obvious. [2]

瓰 瓱


798

pay

払

Finger . . . elbow. [5]


799

wide

広

Cave. . . elbow. [5]


800

hooked

勾

Bound up . . . elbow. Think of this key word in the sense of something that has been nabbed or caught. [4]


801

broaden

拡

Fingers . . . wide. The connection with the previous character is very close. Beware. [8]


802

mineral

鉱

Metal . . . wide. [13]


803

valve

弁

Elbow . . . two hands. [5]


804

male

雄

By one’s side . . . elbow . . . turkey. Its match can be found in frame 605. [12]


805

pedestal

台

Elbow . . . mouth. [5]


806

neglect

怠

Pedestal . . . heart. [9]


807

reign

治

Water . . . pedestal. [8]


808

metallurgy

冶

Ice . . . pedestal. [7]


809

commence

始

Woman . . . pedestal. [8]


810

womb

胎

Part of the body . . . pedestal. [9]


811

window

窓

House . . . human legs . . . elbow . . . heart. [11]

瓲 瓶 瓷 瓸


812

gone

去

Soil . . . elbow. [5]

甁 甃


813

method

法

Water . . . gone. [8]


*

wall

脈

The elbow hanging under a ceiling will become our element for a wall. [3]

絛 絜 絞


814

meeting

会

Meeting . . . wall. This is the full character for meeting, from which the abbreviated primitive that we met back in Lesson 12 gets its name. [6]

甄 甅


815

climax

至

Wall . . . soil. The key word allows for the full variety of connotations: to peak, to arrive at the end, and the like. [6]

甌 甍


816

room

室

House . . . climax. [9]


817

arrival

到

Climax . . . saber. [8]


818

doth

致

The archaic English form for “does” indicates a humble form of the verb “to do.” It is made up of climax and taskmaster. [10]


819

mutually

互

When you draw this character think of linking two walls together, one right side up and the other upside down. [4]

絡 絢 絣 給


*

infant

脳

This primitive can be seen as an abbreviation of the full primitive for child, the second stroke dividing the head from the body much as it does in 子 and the other strokes condensing the long form so that it can be used atop its relative primitive. We change the meaning to infant to facilitate keeping the full form and its abbreviation distinct. [4]

甎 甑


820

abandon

棄

Infant . . . buckle (see frame 444) . . . tree. [13]

甓 甕 甘


821

bring up

育

Since the key word has to do with raising children to be strong both in mind and body, it is easy to coordinate the primitive elements: infant . . . flesh. [8]


822

remove

撤

Fingers . . . bring up . . . taskmaster. [15]

甚 甜 甞


823

allot

充

Infant . . . human legs. [6]


824

gun

銃

Metal . . . allot. [14]


825

sulfur

硫

Rock . . . infant . . . flood. [12]


826

current

流

Water . . . infant . . . flood. Be sure to distinguish the two water- primitives from one another in making your story. [10]


827

license

允

Elbow . . . human legs. [4]


828

tempt

唆

Mouth . . . license . . . walking legs. [10]

絨 絮 統


Lesson 24

After that long excursus into arm and hand primitives, we will take a breather in this lesson with a much easier group built up from the kanji for exit and enter.

829

exit

出

The kanji for exit pictures a series of mountain peaks coming out of the earth. Learn it together with the following frame. [5]

生 産 甥 甦 用


830

mountain

山

Note the clearer outline of a triangular mountain here. [3]

紗 紘 紙


831

bungling

拙

Fingers . . . exit. [8]


832

boulder

岩

Mountain . . . rock. [8]


833

charcoal

炭

Mountain . . . ashes. [9]


834

branch off

岐

Mountains . . . branch. [7]


835

mountain pass

峠

Mountain . . . above . . . below. [9]

級 紛 紜


836

crumble

崩

Mountain . . . companion. [11]


837

secrecy

密

House . . . invariably . . . mountain. [11]

絲 絳 絵


838

honey

蜜

House . . . invariably . . . insect. [14]


839

storm

嵐

Mountain . . . winds. [12]


840

promontory

崎

Mountain . . . strange. Hint: you might save yourself the trouble of a story here simply by recalling the kanji for cape (frame 164) and toying around with the differing images suggested by the key words promontory and cape. [11]


841

bluffs

崖

Mountain . . . cliff . . . ivy. [11]


842

enter

入

This character is meant to be a picture of someone walking leftward, putting one leg forward in order to enter someplace. Since the “in” side of a character is the left, it should be easy to remember the writing of this character. [2]

甫 甬

As a primitive, the meaning of the key word is expanded to include: to go in, to put in, to come in, and the like. It generally appears atop its relative primitive, where, unlike the element for umbrella , the two strokes do not touch each other, making it virtually the same as the kanji for eight. When it appears in any other position, however, it retains its original form.


843

crowded

込

Enter . . . road. [5]


844

part

分

Go in . . . dagger. [4]

絶 絹


845

poverty

貧

Part . . . shells/money. [11]


846

partition

頒

Part . . . head. [13]


847

public

公

Come in . . . elbows. Use the key word in its adjectival sense, not as a noun. [4]


848

pine tree

松

Tree . . . public. [8]


849

venerable old man

翁

Public . . . feathers. [10]


850

sue

訟

Words . . . public. [11]


851

valley

谷

Go in . . . an umbrella . . . a mouth. Because of space restrictions, the element for go in is shortened in this character. If you stand on your head and look at this kanji, the image of a valley stands out more clearly: the mouth of the river whose water flows down at the intersection of the two mountains, with the final two strokes adding the element of perspective. Now get back on your feet again and see if the image still remains clear. If not, then return to the primitives and make a story in the usual way. [7]

素 紡 索


852

bathe

浴

Water . . . valley. [10]


853

contain

容

This character depicts a house so large that it can contain an entire valley. [10]


854

melt

溶

Water . . . contain. [13]


855

longing

欲

Valley . . . yawn. Be sure to keep the key word distinct from pining (frame 683). [11]


856

abundant

裕

This character shows the typical cloak of valley folk, which, unlike the tailor-made, high-fashion overcoats of city folk, is loose-fitting and free-form. Hence the key word’s meaning of abundant. [12]


*

gully

脹

As an abbreviation of the kanji for a valley, this primitive gets its meaning as a small valley or gully. [5]

甯 田


857

lead (metal)

鉛

Metal . . . gully. [13]


858

run alongside

沿

Water . . . gully. The key word is meant to refer to things like rivers and railway tracks that run alongside something else. [8]


Lesson 25

The following group of kanji revolve about primitive elements having to do with human beings. We shall have more to add to this set of primitives before we are through, but even the few we bring in here will enable us to learn quite a few new characters. We begin with another “roof” primitive.

*

outhouse

脾

The combination of the element for little, the basic “roof” structure here (in which the chimney was overwritten, as it was in the element for birdhouse), combined with the “window” (mouth) below, gives this element its meaning of outhouse. Although the window is not an essential part of an outhouse, I think you will agree that its inclusion is a boon to the imagination, greatly simplifying the learning of the characters in which it appears. [8]

由 甲 申


859

prize

賞

Outhouse . . . shellfish. [15]


860

party

党

Think of this key word as referring to a political party, not a gala affair. Its elements: human legs . . . sticking out of an outhouse window. [10]


861

hall

堂

Outhouse . . . land. [11]


862

usual

常

Outhouse . . . towel. [11]


863

skirt

裳

The key word refers to an ancient skirt once used as part of a woman’s costume. The primitives you have to work with are: outhouse . . . garment. [14]


864

manipulate

掌

Outhouse . . . hand. [12]


865

pelt

皮

The simplest way to remember this character is to see it as built up from that for branch. The first stroke can then stand for something “hanging” down from the branch, namely its bark or pelt. The barb at the end of the second stroke is the only other change. Merely by concentrating on this as you write the following small cluster of characters should be enough to fix the form in your mind. By way of exception, you might doodle around with the kanji’s form to see what you can come up with. [5]

男 甸 町 画 甼


866

waves

波

Water’s . . . pelt. [8]


867

old woman

婆

Waves . . . woman. [11]


868

expose

披

Fingers . . . pelt. [8]


869

rend

破

Rock . . . pelt. [10]


870

incur

被

Cloak . . . pelt. [10]


*

bone

歹

This character is meant to be a pictograph of a bone attached to a piece of flesh (or vice versa.) The first stroke serves to keep it distinct from the character for evening (frame 114). [4]

畉 畊 畋 界


871

remainder

残

Bones . . . (parade) float. [10]


872

martyrdom

殉

Bones . . . decameron. [10]


873

particularly

殊

Bones . . . vermilion. [10]


874

augment

殖

Bones . . . straightaway. [12]


875

file

列

Bones . . . saber. The sense of the key word is of people or things lined up in a row. [6]


876

split

裂

File . . . garment. [12]


877

ardent

烈

File . . . oven fire. [10]


878

death

死

Bones . . . spoon. Note how the first stroke is extended to the right, forming a sort of “roof” overhead. [6]


879

interment

葬

Flowers . . . death . . . two hands. Do not confuse with bury (frame 191).[12]


*

sunglasses

舛

These two elements are actually the full form whose abbreviation we learned as the character for measuring box in frame 42. To the left, we see the familiar shape of evening, and to the right a completely new shape. The meaning we have assigned, sunglasses, is entirely arbitrary. [7]

畍 畏 畑 畔 瑩 留 畚


880

wink

瞬

Eye . . . birdhouse . . . sunglasses. [18]


881

ear

耳

The pictograph for the ear looks much like that for eye, but note how the stroke order gives it a different look. [6]

紫 紬 紮 累 細 紲


882

take

取

Ear . . . crotch. [8]


883

gist

趣

Run . . . take. [15]


884

utmost

最

Sun . . . take. [12]


885

snapshot

撮

Finger . . . utmost. This character is used for taking photographs. Note how, conveniently, the element for “take” is included in it. [15]


886

shame

恥

Ear . . . heart. It is most rare to have the heart at the right, rather than at the bottom. Take advantage of this fact when you compose your story. [10]


887

post

職

The key word refers to one’s occupation, or position of employment. Its elements: ear . . . kazoo. [18]


888

holy

聖

Ear . . . mouth . . . king. [13]


889

daring

敢

Spike . . . ear . . . taskmaster. [12]


890

listen

聴

Ear . . . needle . . . eye . . . heart. Compare frame 427 for this and the following kanji, and then once again when you get to frame 950. [17]


891

pocket

懐

State of mind . . . needle . . . eyes . . . garment. [16]


*

mandala

曼

Sun . . . eye . . . crotch. [11]

畛 畜 畝


892

ridicule

慢

State of mind . . . mandala. [14]


893

loose

漫

Water . . . mandala. [14]


894

buy

買

Eye . . . shellfish. [12]


895

placement

置

Eye . . . straightaway. [13]


896

penalty

罰

Eye . . . words . . . saber. [14]


897

rather

寧

House . . . heart . . . eye . . . spike. [14]


898

voiced

濁

The key word for this kanji connotes the “muddying” effect on a soft consonant brought about by vibrating the vocal chords. For example, in English a “j” is voiced while a “sh” is unvoiced. In Japanese, the し is changed to じ when it is voiced. The primitives are: water . . .eye . . . bound up . . . insect. [16]


899

ring

環

Ball . . . eye . . . ceiling . . . mouth . . . scarf. The number of elements is large here, so take care. Learn it in conjunction with the next frame, since these are the only two cases in this book where the combination of elements to the right appears. [17]


900

send back

還

Road . . . eye . . . ceiling . . . mouth . . . scarf. [16]


901

husband

夫

The kanji for a husband or “head of the family” is based on the kanji for large and an extra line near the top for the “head.” Recall the kanji for heavens already learned back in frame 457, and be sure to keep your story for this kanji different. [4]

畠 畢 畤 略


902

aid

扶

Fingers . . . husband. [7]


903

mountain stream

渓

Water . . . vulture . . . husband. [11]


904

standard

規

Husband . . . see. [11]


905

exchange

替

Two husbands . . . day. [12]


906

approve

賛

Two husbands . . . shells. [15]


907

submerge

潜

Water . . . exchange. [15]


908

lose

失

“To lose” here takes the sense of “misplace,” not the sense of defeat, whose kanji we learned in frame 67. It pictures a husband with something falling from his side as he is walking along, something he loses. [5]

畦 畧


909

iron

鉄

Metal . . . to drop. [13]


910

alternate

迭

To drop . . . road. [8]


911

retainer

臣

This kanji is actually a pictograph for an eye, distorted to make it appear that the pupil is protruding towards the right. This may not be an easy form to remember, but try this: Draw it once rather large, and notice how moving the two vertical lines on the right as far right as possible gives you the pictograph of the eye in its natural form. The “pop-eye” image belongs to an Emperor’s retainer standing in awe before his ruler. [7]

畩 番 畫 畭 畯 異 畳

As a primitive, the meaning of the key word becomes slave.


912

princess

姫

Woman . . . slave. [10]


913

storehouse

蔵

Flowers . . . parade . . . slaves. [15]

絽 綀 綉 綏


914

entrails

臓

Part of the body . . . storehouse. [19]

經 継


915

intelligent

賢

Slave . . . crotch . . . shellfish. [16]


916

kidney

腎

Slave . . . crotch . . . flesh. [13]


917

strict

堅

Slave . . . crotch . . . soil. [12]


918

look to

臨

Slave . . . reclining . . . goods. The key word suggests both looking ahead to something and “seeing to” what is at hand. Consistent with everything that we have learned about the role of the key word, this means that you must choose one meaning and stick to it. [18]


919

perusal

覧

Slaves . . . reclining . . . floor . . . see. [17]


920

gigantic

巨

This kanji depicts a gigantic “pop-eye,” which accounts for its shape. Be sure not to confuse it with the slave (retainer) we just learned. [5]

続 綛 綜 綟 綠


921

repel

拒

Fingers . . . gigantic. [8]


922

power

力

With a little imagination, one can see a muscle in this simple, two-stroke character meaning power. [2]

畴 當

As a primitive, either muscle or power can be used.


923

man

男

Rice fields . . . muscle. This character is the gender-specific man, not the generic human person of frame 951. [7]


924

labor

労

Schoolhouse . . . muscle. [7]


925

recruit

募

Graveyard . . . muscle. [12]


926

inferiority

劣

Few . . . muscles. [6]


927

achievement

功

Craft . . . muscle. [5]


928

persuade

勧

Pegasus . . . muscle. [13]


929

toil

努

Guy . . . muscle. [7]


930

uprising

勃

If you think of the ten as a little “cross” sitting atop the root of a house where we are used to seeing the “chimney” (drop), then you have the image of a chapel. (This combination will appear once more in this book: frame 1465.) To complete the picture for uprising, add: child . . . muscles. [9]


931

encourage

励

Cliff . . . ten thousand . . . muscle. [7]


932

add

加

Muscles . . . mouth. This is the only case in which the primitive for muscle appears on the left; note should be taken of the fact in composing one’s story. [5]


933

congratulations

賀

Add . . . shells. [12]


934

erect

架

Add . . . trees. Hint: if you ever played with an “Erector Set” or “Tinker Toys” as a child, don’t pass up the opportunity to relate it to this kanji’s key word and the element for trees. [9]


935

armpit

脇

Part of the body . . . muscles (three of which give us “triceps” or “muscles on top of muscles”). You will want to keep the kanji distinct from the one that follows by paying attention to the positioning of the elements. [10]


936

threaten

脅

Triceps . . . flesh. [10]


937

co-

協

This prefix should be kept distinct from inter (frame 222) and mutual (frame 819). Its elements: needle . . . triceps. [8]


938

going

行

By joining the top four strokes, you should get a picture of the front current of a river, the stream trailing behind. Hence the character for going. [6]

畷 畸 畿 疂 疆 疇

As a primitive, this character has two forms. Reduced to the left side only, 彳, it can mean a column, going, or a line of something or other. When the middle is opened up to make room for other elements, it means a boulevard.


939

rhythm

律

This character depicts a calligrapher’s brush and its rhythmic sway as it flows down a column writing kanji on the way. [9]


940

restore

復

Going . . . double back. [12]


941

gain

得

Column . . . nightbreak . . . glue. [11]


942

accompany

従

Column . . . animal horns . . . mending. [10]


943

junior

徒

Line . . . run. [10]


944

wait

待

Line . . . Buddhist temple. [9]


945

journey

往

Column . . . candlestick. This character has the special sense of journeying to someplace or other. [8]


946

subjugate

征

Column . . . correct. [8]


947

diameter

径

Line . . . spool. [8]


948

he

彼

Going . . . pelt. This kanji refers to the third person singular personal pronoun, generally in its masculine form. [8]


949

duty

役

Going . . . missile. [7]


950

benevolence

徳

Going . . . needle . . . eye . . . heart. Refer back now to the note in frame 890. [14]


951

penetrate

徹

Line . . . bring up . . . taskmaster. [15]


952

indications

徴

Line . . . mountain . . . king . . . taskmaster. [14]

疉 疊 疋 疎


953

penal

懲

Indications . . . heart. [18]


954

delicate

微

Line . . . mountain . . . beginning . . . taskmaster. [13]


955

boulevard

街

This is the character from which the sense of boulevard mentioned in frame 938 derives. Its elements: boulevard . . . ivy. [12]


956

girder

桁

Tree . . . going. [10]


957

equilibrium

衡

Boulevard . . . bound up . . . brains . . . St. Bernard dog. [16]

疏 疑 疔 疚 疝


Lesson 26

We return once again to the world of plants and growing things, not yet to complete our collection of those primitives, but to focus on three elements that are among the most commonly found throughout the kanji.

Now and again, you will no doubt have observed, cross-reference is made to other kanji with similar key words. This can help avoid confusion if you check your earlier story and the connotation of its respective key word before proceeding with the kanji at hand. While it is impossible to know in advance which key words will cause confusion for which readers, I will continue to point out some of the likely problem cases.

*

wheat

禾

This primitive element will be made to stand for wheat. It connotes a special grain, more expensive than ordinary rice and so reserved for special occasions. Alternatively, it can mean cereal. Its form is like that for tree, except for the dot at the top to represent a spike of wheat blowing in the wind. [5]

疣 疥 疫 疱 疲


958

draft

稿

The key word connotes the preliminary composition of a plan or manuscript. Its elements: wheat . . . tall. [15]


959

earnings

稼

Wheat . . . house. [15]


960

extent

程

Wheat . . . display . Do not confuse with extremity (frame 231) or boundary (frame 523). [12]


961

tax

税

Wheat . . . devil. [12]


962

immature

稚

Wheat . . . turkey. [13]


963

harmony

和

Wheat . . . mouth. [8]


964

shift

移

Wheat . . . many. [11]


965

second

秒

The reference here is to a second of time. The elements: wheat . . . few. [9]


966

autumn

秋

Wheat . . . fire. [9]


967

distress

愁

Autumn . . . heart. [13]


968

private

私

Wheat . . . elbow. Like the characters for I (frame 17) and ego (frame 690), this kanji is also representative of the subject, with the special connotation of privacy. [7]


969

regularity

秩

Wheat . . . drop. [10]


970

secret

秘

Cereal . . . invariably. [10]


971

appellation

称

Wheat . . . reclining . . . little. [10]


972

profit

利

Wheat . . . saber. Be careful not to confuse with gain (frame 941) or earnings (frame 959). [7]


973

pear tree

梨

Profit . . . tree. [11]


974

harvest

穫

Wheat . . . flowers . . . vessels. Compare frames 756 and 757 for the right side. [18]


975

ear of a plant

穂

Wheat . . . favor. [15]


976

rice plant

稲

Wheat . . . vulture . . . olden times. [14]


977

incense

香

Wheat . . . sun. [9]


978

seasons

季

Wheat . . . child. [8]


979

committee

委

Wheat . . . woman. [8]


980

excel

秀

Wheat . . . fist. [7]


981

transparent

透

Excel . . . road-way. [10]


982

entice

誘

Words . . . excel. Compare beckon (frame 702), to urge (frame 300), seduce (frame 90), and encourage (frame 931) when choosing your connotation. [14]


983

training

稽

Wheat . . . chihuahua with one human leg . . . delicious. [15]


984

cereals

穀

Samurai . . . crown . . . wheat . . . missile. [14]


985

germ

菌

Flowers . . . pent in . . . wheat. [11]


986

numb

萎

Flowers . . . committee. [11]


987

rice

米

This kanji has a pictographic resemblance to a number of grains of rice lying on a plate in the shape of a star. [6]

疳 疵 疸 疹 疼 疽

As a primitive, it keeps its meaning of rice, and is meant to connote a very ordinary, commonplace grain, in contrast to the primitive for wheat that we just learned. (This meaning accords well with Japan, where the output of rice far exceeds that of wheat.)

It occasionally takes the shape  when it stands on its own, or is joined to a line above. In this case, we shall have it refer specifically to grains of rice. This primitive is not to be confused with the similar-looking primitive for water. While the stroke orders are nearly alike, grains of rice has 5 strokes, while water only has 4 because it joins the second and third strokes into one.

Finally, we may note that by itself the kanji for rice is an abbreviation used for the United States, which can then also serve as an alternate reading for the main primitive form, if you so wish.


988

flour`

粉

Rice . . . part. [10]


989

sticky

粘

Rice . . . fortune-telling. [11]


990

grains

粒

Rice . . . vase. [11]


991

cosmetics

粧

Rice . . . cave . . . soil. [12]


992

astray

迷

Road . . . United States. [9]


993

chic

粋

Rice . . . game of cricket. (See frame 121.) [10]


994

riddle

謎

Words . . . astray. [16]


995

provisions

糧

Rice . . . quantity. [18]


996

chrysanthemum

菊

Flower . . . bound up . . . rice. [11]


997

core

奥

A drop . . . pent in . . . rice . . . St. Bernard dog. Notice that the horizontal line of the bottom primitive doubles up as the final stroke for pent in. [12]


998

number

数

Rice . . . woman . . . taskmaster. [13]


999

watchtower

楼

Tree . . . rice . . . woman. [13]


1000

sort

類

Rice . . . St. Bernard dog . . . head. [18]


1001

lacquer

漆

Water . . . tree . . . umbrella . . . grains of rice. [14]


1002

knee

膝

Flesh . . . tree . . . umbrella . . . grains of rice. [13]


1003

Esq.

様

The abbreviation Esq. will help associate this character with the honorific form of address to which it belongs. Its elements are: tree . . .sheep . . . grains of rice. Note that the final vertical stroke in the element for sheep is extended to form the first stroke for grains of rice. [14]

疾 痂 痃


1004

request

求

Let the drop in the upper right-hand corner of this character close the right angle off to make an arrowhead. Whenever we find the needle with that drop in an element that has no other special meaning, we will take advantage of this primitive meaning. At the bottom, we see the grains of rice, the vertical line doubling up for the two elements. Do not confuse with petition (frame 143). [7]


1005

ball

球

Ball . . . request. [11]


1006

salvation

救

Request . . . taskmaster. [11]


1007

bamboo

竹

Bamboo grows upwards, like a straight nail, and at each stage of its growth (which legend associates with the arrival of the new moon) there is a jointed rootstock (the first stroke). Two such bamboo stalks are pictured here. [6]

病 症 痊 痍 痒 痔

As a primitive, the meaning remains the same, but the vertical lines are severely abbreviated so that they can take their place at the top where, like flowers, they are always to be found.


1008

laugh

笑

Bamboo . . . witch. [10]


1009

bamboo hat

笠

Bamboo . . . vase. [11]


1010

bamboo grass

笹

Bamboo . . . generation. [11]


1011

stationery



Bamboo . . . float. Note that the drawing of the primitive for float uses the abbreviated form that has become standard in the general-use kanji and as we met it earlier in 桟, 銭, and 浅 (frames 393–395). Until such time as typesetting fonts make the adjustment, only the older form has been approved: 箋. Here we have opted for the simpler, avant garde drawing. [12]


1012

muscle

筋

Bamboo . . . part of the body . . . muscle. Here we see how the primitive meaning of muscle was derived from the kanji for muscle. [12]


1013

box

箱

Bamboo . . . inter-. [15]


1014

writing brush

筆

Bamboo . . . brush. [12]


1015

cylinder

筒

Bamboo . . . monks. [12]


1016

etc.

等

Bamboo . . . Buddhist temple. [12]


1017

calculate

算

Bamboo . . . eyes . . . two hands. [14]


1018

solution

答

Bamboo . . . fit. [12]


1019

scheme

策

Bamboo . . . belted tree (see frame 446). [12]


1020

register

簿

Bamboo . . . water . . . acupuncturist. [19]


1021

fabricate

築

Bamboo . . . craft . . . mediocre . . . wood/tree. [16]


1022

basket

篭

Bamboo . . . dragon. Note that the older (and still official) form of this kanji uses the old character for dragon 龍, which is good to learn and is fun to write in any case. It is made up of five primitive elements: vase . . . flesh . . . slingshot (doubled up with a) snake . . . three. [16]


Lesson 27

This lesson will take us just beyond the halfway mark. From there on, it will all be downhill. The final uphill push will involve what appears to be the simplest of primitive elements. It was withheld until now because of the difficulty it would have caused earlier on.

1023

person

人

The character for enter (frame 842) showed someone walking inwards (in terms of the direction of writing). The one for person, shown here, represents someone walking outwards. [2]

痕 痘

As a primitive, it can keep its kanji form except when it appears to the left (its normal position), where it is made to stand up in the form 亻.

The primitive meaning is another matter. The abstract notion of person so often has a relation to the meaning of the kanji that confusion readily sets in. So many of the previous stories have included people in them that simply to use person for a primitive meaning would be risky. We need to be more specific, to focus on one particular person. Try to choose someone who has not figured in the stories so far, perhaps a colorful member of the family or a friend whom you have known for a long time. That individual will appear again and again, so be sure to choose someone who excites your imagination.


1024

assistant

佐

Person . . . left. [7]


1025

partner

侶

Person . . . spine. [9]


1026

however

但

Person . . . nightbreak. [7]


1027

dwell

住

Person . . . candlestick. [7]


1028

rank

位

Person . . . vase. [7]


1029

go-between

仲

Person . . . in. [6]


1030

body

体

Person . . . book. [7]


1031

remote

悠

Person . . . walking stick . . . taskmaster . . . heart. [11]


1032

affair

件

Person . . . cow. [6]


1033

attend

仕

Person . . . samurai. The key word means to wait on someone or serve them. [5]


1034

other

他

Person . . . scorpion. [5]


1035

prostrated

伏

Person . . . chihuahua. [6]


1036

transmit

伝

Person . . . rising cloud. Hint: the Amerindians’ smoke signals can help provide a good image for this kanji, whose key word is meant to include transmissions of all sorts. [6]


1037

Buddha

仏

Person . . . elbow. [4]


1038

rest

休

Person . . . tree. Do not confuse with relax (frame 202).[6]


1039

provisional

仮

Person . . . anti-. [6]


1040

performing artist

伎

Person . . . branch. [6]


1041

chief

伯

Person . . . white dove. [7]


1042

vulgar

俗

Person . . . valley. The key word should be taken in its older sense of “popular” or “commonplace.” [9]


1043

faith

信

Person . . . words. [9]


1044

excellent

佳

Person . . . ivy. To distinguish from excel (frame 980), eminent (frame 52), esteem (frame 196), and exquisite (frame 130), give the key word its own unique connotation. [8]


1045

reliant

依

Person . . . garment. [8]


1046

example

例

Person . . . file. [8]


1047

individual

個

Person . . . harden. [10]


1048

healthy

健

Person . . . build. [11]

痙 痛 痞


1049

side

側

Person . . . rule. See frame 92 for help. [11]


1050

waiter

侍

Person . . . Buddhist temple. The key word is deceptively modern, but the kanji is actually another way of writing “samurai.” Be careful not to confuse with attend (frame 1033).[8]


1051

halt

停

Person . . . pavilion. [11]


1052

price

値

Person . . . straightaway. [10]


1053

emulate

倣

Person . . . set free. [10]


1054

arrogance

傲

Person . . . soil . . . compass . . . taskmaster. You may, of course, take the character for emulate from the previous frame as the basis for this kanji, adding to it only the element for soil. [13]


1055

overthrow

倒

Person . . . arrival. [10]


1056

spy

偵

Person . . . upright. [11]


1057

Buddhist priest

僧

Person . . . increase. [13]


1058

hundred million

億

Person . . . idea. [15]


1059

ceremony

儀

Person . . . righteousness. [15]


1060

reparation

償

Person . . . prize. [17]


1061

hermit

仙

Person . . . mountain. [5]


1062

sponsor

催

Hermit . . . turkey. Note what has happened to the mountain in the element for hermit. In order to make room for the turkey, it was raised and condensed. [13]


1063

humanity

仁

To refer to the fullness of humanity that can only be achieved in dialogue with another (person . . . two), Confucius used this character. [4]


1064

scorn

侮

Person . . . every. [8]


1065

use

使

Person . . . officer. [8]


1066

convenience

便

Person . . grow late. Hint: this kanji also means that unmentionable material that one disposes of when one goes to the “conveniences.” [9]


1067

double

倍

Person . . . muzzle. Do not confuse with the kanji for duplicate (frame 504). [10]


1068

tenderness

優

Person . . melancholy. [17]


1069

fell

伐

Person . . . fiesta. Hint: recall the German legend of the English missionary, Saint Boniface, who felled the sacred oak tree dedicated to Thor at Geismar (in lower Hessia), occasioning a great fiesta for the Christians in the neighborhood to mark the defeat of their pagan competition. Be sure to fit your special person into the story if you use it. [6]


1070

inn

宿

House . . . person . . . hundred. [11]


1071

wound

傷

Person . . . reclining . . . piggy bank. [13]


1072

protect

保

Person . . . mouth . . . tree. [9]


1073

praise

褒

Top hat and scarf . . . protect. Note that the “tree” in protect becomes a wooden pole here. [15]


1074

greatness

傑

Person . . . sunglasses . . . tree. [13]


1075

adhere

付

Person . . . glue. The few cases in which this character serves as a primitive should include some connotation of “adhering to” that distinguishes it from “glued to.” Two examples follow. [5]


1076

token

符

Bamboo . . . adhere. [11]


1077

municipality

府

Cave . . . adhere. [8]


1078

responsibility

任

Person . . . porter. [6]


1079

fare

賃

Responsibility . . . shells/money. [13]


1080

substitute

代

Person . . . arrow. [5]


1081

sack

袋

Substitute . . . garment. [11]


1082

lend

貸

Substitute . . . shells/money. [12]


1083

change

化

Person . . . spoon. [4]


1084

flower

花

Flower . . . change. [7]


1085

freight

貨

Change . . . shells. [11]


1086

lean

傾

Change . . . head. The key word has the sense of leaning on or toward someone or something. [13]


1087

what

何

Person . . . can. [7]


1088

baggage

荷

Flowers . . . what. [10]


1089

sagacious

俊

Person . . . license . . . walking legs. [9]


1090

bystander

傍

Person . . . stand up. . . crown . . . compass. [12]


1091

myself

俺

The key word refers to a very familiar way of referring to oneself, typically used by men. Its component elements: person . . . St. Bernard dog . . . eel. [10]


1092

long time

久

This character uses the diagonal sweep of the second stroke to double up for bound up and a person. Think of a mummy, and the key word will not be far behind. [3]

痢 痣 痩


1093

furrow

畝

Think of the three kinds of furrows shown here in this character—a top hat’s rim, a rice field’s ridges, and the wrinkles that show you’ve been around a long time. [10]


1094

captured

囚

Pent in . . . person. [5]


1095

inside

内

Belt . . . person. Note that we cannot use the primitive meaning of hood here because the person runs through the element, not under it. [4]

痰 痲


1096

third class

丙

Those no-frills flights the airlines offer to attract customers should help create an image from ceiling . . . belt . . . person. The kanji meaning “inside” should not be used because of its proximity to the element for “in.” [5]


1097

design

柄

Tree . . . third class. [9]


1098

meat

肉

Let this doubling of one of the elements for “inside” yield the sense of “insides” to approach the key word, meat. The abbreviated form of this character gave us the primitive meaning of flesh or part of the body for the kanji 月. [6]


1099

rot

腐

Municipality . . . meat. [14]


*

assembly line

从

The duplication of the kanji for person gives us this primitive for assembly line. Perhaps you can imagine clones of your chosen person rolling off an assembly line in a factory. [4]


1100

sit

座

Cave . . . assembly line . . . soil. [10]

饑 饒 饕 饗 首


1101

sprain

挫

Fingers . . . assembly line . . . soil. [10]


1102

graduate

卒

Top hat . . . assembly line . . . needle. [8]


1103

umbrella

傘

Umbrella . . . two assembly lines . . . needle. [12]

馗 馘 香 馞 馥


Lesson 28

In this lesson we pick up a group of unconnected characters and elements that have fallen between the cracks of the previous lessons, mainly because of the rarity of the characters themselves, of their primitive elements, or of the way in which they are written. In a later lesson, we will do this once again.

1104

monme

匁

This character obliges us to use a Japanese key word for want of an English equivalent. It refers to an old unit of weight, equal to about 3.75 grams. The word is only slightly more useful in modern Japanese than cubits and kites are in modern English. Its primitives, if you look closely, are: bound up . . . arm. [4]

痳 痴 痺


*

plow



Take this as a pictograph of a plow. [2]

瑤 纖


1105

by means of

以

Picture a person dragging a plow behind, and the drop of sweat which falls from his brow as he does his work. Think of him (or her, for that matter) making a living “by means of the sweat of their brows.” [5]


1106

similar

似

Be sure to keep this key word distinct from likeness (frame 104). Its elements: person . . . by means of. [7]


*

puzzle

并

Think of this element as a picture puzzle in which the pieces interlock. Its elements: horns . . . two hands. [6]

痼 痾 痿 瘁


1107

join

併

The sense of the key word is one of joining things together that were previously separate. Its elements: person . . . puzzle. [8]


1108

tile

瓦

Ceiling . . . plow . . . fishhook . . . a drop of. [5]

綮 綯 綰 綱 網


1109

flower pot

瓶

Puzzle . . . tile. [11]


1110

Shinto shrine

宮

Way back in Lesson 2 we learned the character for spine. The two other characters in which it is used we can now learn together in this and the following frame. Here a Shinto shrine is composed of house and spine. [10]


1111

occupation

営

Schoolhouse . . . spine. [12]


1112

virtuous

善

Sheep . . . horns . . . mouth. Pay special attention to the writing of this character. [12]

綴 綵 綷 綸


1113

dining tray

膳

Flesh . . . virtuous. [16]


1114

year

年

In an odd fashion, the kanji for year joins together the element for horse, on the top, and the right half of the element for sunglasses. Think of it as a horse wearing sunglasses with one of the lenses popped out. We will use this latter image again, so learn it now and save yourself the trouble later. [6]

綺 綻 綽 維 綾 綿


1115

night

夜

First of all, be sure not to confuse the connotations of night with those of evening (frame 114) and nightbreak (frame 30). Its elements: top hat . . . person . . .walking legs . . . drop. [8]

緇 緊 緋 総


1116

fluid

液

Water . . . night. [11]


1117

hillock

塚

Soil . . . crown . . . sow. Compare frame 582. [12]


*

shredder



The element on the left looks like rice with a belt running through it, but we would do best to think of it in terms of its writing order: little . . . belt . . . little. On the right, of course, the taskmaster. [12]

瘉瘋瘍瘟


1118

cash

幣

Shredder . . . towel. [15]


1119

cover over

蔽

Flower . . . shredder. [15]


1120

abuse

弊

Shredder . . . two hands. [15]


1121

yell

喚

The mouth on the left is obvious. The rest is harder. Try this: four St. Bernard dogs bound up in a bunch. Together they should supply a clear enough portrait of a yell, provided you are careful to see all four of them. Note how the final stroke of the four is supplied by the long horizontal stroke of the St. Bernard. [12]


1122

interchange

換

Fingers . . . four St. Bernard dogs bound up. [12]


1123

dissolve

融

Ceiling . . . mouth . . . hood . . . human legs . . . spike . . . insect. This is the maximum number of elements to appear in any story in the book. [16]

瘠 瘡


Lesson 29

We come now to a rather simple group of primitives, built up from the three elements that represent banners, knots, and flags.

*

banner



Here we have a unique enclosure made up of two elements: compass and reclining. Think of the banner as a standard for rallying around; then imagine a crowd reclining before a compass (presumably to give them a “direction” in life). [6]

瘢 瘤


1124

alms

施

Banner . . . scorpion. [9]


1125

rotation

旋

A banner . . . a zoo. Hint: think of a merry-go-round. [11]


1126

play

遊

Banners . . . children . . . road. [12]


1127

trip

旅

Let the last 4 strokes, which are also the concluding strokes to the character for garment, represent a rag as its primitive meaning. We shall meet this only on one other occasion. This gives us as our elements: banner . . . rag. [10]

緑 緒 緕 緖 緘


1128

not

勿

First take the primitive meaning of this character: knot. Think of it as the piglet minus its body (the horizontal stroke), that is, the curly tail that looks like a knot. As an exception, we will use the homonym to remember the abstract key word, not. [4]

線 緜 緝 緞


1129

thing

物

Cow . . . knot. [8]


1130

easy

易

Sun . . . knot. [8]


1131

grant

賜

Shells . . . easy. [15]


*

flag

尸

The pictographic representation of this element is obvious. Provided you can hold your imagination in check for the first example, you might best imagine your own national flag in composing your stories. [3]

瘧 瘰 瘴


1132

urine

尿

Flag . . . water. [7]


1133

nun

尼

Flag . . . spoon. [5]


1134

buttocks

尻

Flag . . . baseball team. [5]


1135

mud

泥

Water . . . nun. [8]


1136

fence

塀

Soil . . . flag . . . puzzle. [12]


1137

footgear

履

Flag . . . restore. [15]


1138

roof

屋

Flag . . . climax. Note that this kanji has no relation to the drawing of a “roof” used in the primitive for house (page 85). [9]


1139

grip

握

Fingers . . . roof. [12]


1140

yield

屈

Flag . . . exit. [8]


1141

dig

掘

Fingers . . . yield. [11]


1142

ditch

堀

Soil . . . yield. [11]


1143

reside

居

Flag . . . old. Do not confuse with dwell (frame 1027). [8]


1144

set

据

Fingers . . . reside. [11]


1145

hem

裾

Cloak . . . reside. [13]


1146

stratum

層

Flag . . . increase. [14]


1147

bureau

局

Flag . . . phrase. Note how the flag’s long stroke doubles up for the first stroke of phrase. [7]


1148

slow

遅

Flag . . . sheep . . . road. [12]


1149

leak

漏

Water . . . flag . . . rain. [14]


1150

printing

刷

Flag . . . towel . . . saber. [8]


1151

shaku

尺

The key word shaku has actually come into English in the word shakuhachi, the ancient Japanese flute that measured “one shaku and eight sun” (the “sun” being about an inch in length). Since the shaku is about one foot in length, this makes about 20 inches. Let the final sweeping stroke be like a tape measure added to the flag. [4]

艢 艤


1152

exhaust

尽

Shakuhachi . . . ice. [6]


1153

swamp

沢

Water . . . shakuhachi. [7]


1154

translate

訳

Words . . . shakuhachi. [11]


1155

choose

択

Fingers . . . shakuhachi. [7]


1156

daytime

昼

Shakuhachi . . . nightbreak. [9]


1157

door

戸

Ceiling . . . flag. [4]


1158

shoulder

肩

Door . . . flesh. [8]


1159

tassel

房

Door . . . compass. [8]


1160

fan

扇

Door . . . wings. [10]


1161

hearth

炉

Hearth fire . . . door. [8]


1162

re-

戻

The key word signals a “coming back” or return to some place or activity. Its elements: door . . . St. Bernard dog. [7]


1163

tears

涙

Water . . . re-. Do not confuse with cry (frame 463). [10]


1164

employ

雇

Door . . . turkey. Be sure to keep distinct from both employee (frame 59) and use (frame 1065). [12]


1165

look back

顧

Employ . . . head. [21]


1166

disclose

啓

Door . . . taskmaster . . . mouth. [11]


Lesson 30

In this lesson we pick up a series of primitives related pictographically to one another and based on the image of a seed. But first we include a stray element that does not really fit into any of our other categories but is very useful in forming some common and elementary kanji (in fact, 18 of them already at this point), namely, the altar.

1167

show

示

Although the elements two and little are available for the using, it may be easier to remember this character as a picture of an altar. Something placed atop the altar is put on show for all to see. [5]

As a primitive, this kanji means altar. At the left, the abbreviated form that this element takes is made by chopping the altar in half and leaving only one dot behind to represent the right side. The new appearance of this primitive form, 礻, should be kept distinct from that for cloak, 衤, identical except for the one final short stroke.


1168

salutation

礼

This key word refers to the polite bows and ceremonious forms of salutation so important in Japanese culture. Its elements: altar . . . hook. [5]


1169

auspicious

祥

Altar . . . sheep. [10]


1170

celebrate

祝

Altar . . . teenager. [9]


1171

blessing

福

Altar . . . wealth. [13]


1172

welfare

祉

Altar . . . footprint. [8]


1173

company

社

Altar . . . soil. The company referred to here is that of the modern business world. [7]


1174

inspection

視

Altar . . . see. [11]


1175

Nara

奈

We choose the city of Nara as the key word in this case because this kanji, frequently used in proper names, appears in Nara; and also because of Nara’s famed religious monuments, which help us with the primitives: St. Bernard dog . . . altar. [8]


1176

military officer

尉

Flag . . . altar . . . glue. [11]


1177

consolation

慰

Military officer . . . heart. [15]


1178

goodwill

款

Samurai . . . altar . . . yawning. [12]


1179

prohibition

禁

Grove . . . altar. [13]


1180

collar

襟

Cloak . . . prohibition. [18]


1181

religion

宗

House . . . altar. [8]


1182

adore

崇

Mountain . . . religion. [11]


1183

ritual

祭

Flesh . . . crotch . . . altar. Note how the second element is cut short, giving a tent-like effect to the character. [11]


1184

guess

察

“Guess” here has the sense of a measured conjecture. Its elements: house . . . ritual. [14]


1185

grate

擦

Fingers . . . guess. [17]


1186

wherefore

由

The “wherefore” of this kanji explains the reason or origin of a thing. It does this graphically by depicting a seed in a rice field sending up a single sprout, which is the whole why and wherefore of the seed’s falling in the earth and dying. (When the flower appears, you will recall from frame 249, we have a full seedling.) [5]

饉 饋 饌 饐

As a primitive, in conformity to the explanation above, this kanji will be taken to mean a sprout.


1187

pluck

抽

Fingers . . . sprout. [8]


1188

oil

油

Water . . . sprout. [8]


1189

sleeve

袖

Cloak . . . sprout. [10]


1190

mid-air

宙

House . . . sprout. [8]


1191

deliver

届

Flag . . . sprout. [8]


1192

flute

笛

Bamboo . . . sprout. [11]


1193

axis

軸

Car . . . sprout. [12]


1194

armor

甲

This kanji reverses the element for sprout, giving the image of roots being sent down into the earth by a seed planted in the rice field. From there you must invent a connection to the key word, armor. [5]

瘻 療

The primitive meaning is roots. Important to that word is the image of “pushing downwards,” as roots do.


1195

push

押

Fingers . . . roots. Compare and contrast with pluck (frame 1187). [8]


1196

headland

岬

Like the cape (frame 164) and the promontory (frame 840), the headland refers to a jut of land. Its elements: mountain . . . roots. [8]


1197

insert

挿

Fingers . . . thousand . . . roots. Observe how the writing order does not follow the elements in order, because the final stroke is used for two different elements. [10]

締 緡 緤 編


1198

speaketh

申

The olde English is used here to indicate a humble form of the third person singular of the verb “to speak.” It is written by a tongue wagging in the mouth with a walking stick rammed through it and coming out at both ends. [5]

癆 癇

While this kanji has obvious affinities to the “seed” group, it also happens to be the zodiacal sign of the monkey (the one who speaketh no evil, among other things). We shall therefore take monkey as its primitive meaning.


1199

expand

伸

Person . . . monkey. [7]


1200

gods

神

Altar . . . monkey. [9]


1201

search

捜

Fingers . . . monkey . . . crotch. [10]


1202

fruit

果

The final stage of the seed is reached when the plant has reached its full growth (the tree) and comes to fruition, producing fruit full of new seeds that can return to the earth and start the process all over again. The main thing to notice here is the element for brains at the top, which might prove more helpful than rice field for creating an image. The writing, however, follows the order of a sun with a tree whose trunk runs through the sun. [8]


1203

confectionary

菓

Flowers . . . fruits. [11]


1204

chapter

課

Words . . . fruit. [15]


1205

naked

裸

Cloak . . . fruit. [13]


Lesson 31

By now you will have learned to handle a great number of very difficult kanji with perfect ease and without fear of forgetting. Some others, of course, will take review. But let us focus on the ones you are most confident about and can write most fluently, in order to add a remark about what role the stories, plots, and primitives should continue to play even after you have learned a character to your own satisfaction.

This course has been designed to move in steps from the full-bodied story (Part One) to the skeletal plot (Part Two) to the heap of bones we call primitive elements (Part Three). This also happens roughly to be the way memory works. At first the full story is necessary (as a rule, for every kanji, no matter how simple it appears), in that it enables you to focus your attention and your interest on the vivid images of the primitives, which in turn dictate how you write the character. Once the image has strutted through the full light of imagination, it will pass on, leaving its footprints on the interstices of the brain in some mysterious way. And those footprints are often enough of a clue about the nature of the beast to enable you to reconstruct the plot in broad outlines. Should you need to, you can nearly always follow the tracks back to their source and recall your whole story, but that is generally unnecessary. The third stage occurs when even the plot is unnecessary, and the key word by itself suggests a certain number of primitive meanings; or conversely, when seeing a kanji at once conjures up a specific key word. Here again, the plot is still within reach if needed, but not worth bothering with once it has fulfilled its task of providing the proper primitive elements.

There is yet a fourth stage to be reached, as you have probably realized by now, but one you ought not trust until you have completed the full list of the kanji given here. In this stage, the primitive elements are suggested according to form without any immediate association to meaning. Quite early on, you will recall, we insisted that visual memory is to be discarded in favor of imaginative memory. It may now be clear just why that is so. But it should also be getting clear that visual memory deserves a suitable role of some sort or other, once it has a solid foundation. This is a process not to be rushed, however appealing its rewards in terms of writing fluency.

Insofar as you have experienced these things in your own study, fears about the inadequacy of the key words should be greatly allayed. For in much the same way that the character slowly finds its way into the fabric of memory and muscular habits, the key word will gradually give way to a key concept distinct from the particular English word used to express it. Hence the substitution of a Japanese word—or even a number of words—will prove no stumbling block. Quite the contrary, it will help avoid confusion between key words with family resemblances.

In short, the number of steps required to learn the Japanese writing system has not been increased by what we have been doing. It has simply become more pronounced than it is in traditional methods of drawing and redrawing the kanji hundreds of times until they are learned, and in that way the whole process has become much more efficient. Pausing to think about just what your mind has been doing through this book should make the ideas mentioned in the Introduction much more plausible now than they must have seemed way back then.

But we must be on our way again, this time down a road marked “tools.”

1206

ax

斤

This character represents a picture of an ax, the two vertical lines being the handle and the horizontal strokes of the blade. Note the writing order carefully. [4]

癈 癌 癒 癖


1207

chop

析

Tree . . . ax. [8]


1208

place

所

Door . . . ax. [8]


1209

pray

祈

Altar . . . ax. [8]


1210

near

近

Ax . . . road. Be careful not to confuse with draw near (frame 204) or bystander (frame 1090). [7]


1211

fold

折

Fingers . . . ax. Hint: make an image out of the Japanese art of “origami” (paper-folding). [7]


1212

philosophy

哲

Fold . . . mouth. [10]


1213

departed

逝

The connotation is of a “dearly departed” who has passed away. The elements: fold . . . road. [10]


1214

vow

誓

Fold . . . words. [14]


1215

chop off

斬

Car . . . ax. [11]


1216

temporarily

暫

Chop off . . . days. [15]


1217

steadily

漸

Water . . . chop off. [14]


1218

severance

断

Hook . . . rice . . . ax. [11]


1219

substance

質

Two axes . . . shells. [15]


1220

reject

斥

Ax . . . a drop of. [5]


1221

accusation

訴

Words . . . reject. [12]


*

saw

乍

The saw in this primitive is distinguished from the primitive for ax by the extra “teeth” on the blade. [5]

癢 癧 癨 癩 癪


1222

yesterday

昨

Day . . . saw. [9]


1223

lie

詐

The lie in this character refers to falsehoods and fibs. Its elements: words . . . saw. [12]


1224

make

作

Person . . . saw. [7]


*

broom



The pictographic representation here is of the bristles on the head of a broom. Note that the second stroke stops short without cutting through the second. [3]

癘 癜 癡


1225

snow

雪

Rain that undergoes a change so that it can be swept aside with a broom is snow. [11]


1226

record

録

Metal . . . broom . . . grains of rice. Note how the final stroke of the broom is extended slightly when an element below is attached directly to it. [16]


1227

peel off

剥

Broom . . . grains of rice . . . saber. [10]


1228

inquire

尋

Broom . . . craft . . . mouth . . . glue. [12]


1229

hurry

急

Bound up . . . broom . . . heart. [9]


1230

calm

穏

Wheat . . . vulture . . . broom . . . heart. [16]


1231

encroach

侵

Person . . . broom . . . crown . . . crotch. Gather the elements on the right into a composite image that can serve you in the next two frames. [9]


1232

immersed

浸

Water . . . broom . . . crown . . . crotch. [10]


1233

lie down

寝

Do not confuse this key word with either the element for reclining or the character for prostrated (frame 1035). Its primitive elements are: house . . . turtle . . . broom . . . crown . . . crotch. [13]


1234

lady

婦

Woman . . . broom . . . apron. [11]


1235

sweep

掃

Fingers . . . broom . . . apron. [11]


1236

hit

当

Little . . . broom. [6]


1237

glossary

彙

The top primitive of this character is actually an old form of broom 彑. The remaining elements are: crown . . . fruit. [13]


*

rake



A single vertical stroke transforms broom into a rake. When an element comes below the rake, the vertical stroke is shortened, as we have seen before with other similar primitives such as sheep and cow. Moreover, when something comes above the rake and joins to it at the top, the vertical stroke begins at the top horizontal stroke, as in the following two frames. [4]

癬 癰 癲


1238

contend

争

Bound up . . . rake. [6]


1239

clean

浄

Water . . . contend. [9]


1240

matter

事

This key word here refers to abstract matters. The elements are: one . . . mouth . . . rake. Note how the rake handle reaches out the top and bottom of the character. [8]


1241

T’ang

唐

The key word here refers of course to the T’ang Dynasty in China (and not to the name of the drink astronauts take with them into outer space, though this could be useful for the next frame). Its elements: cave . . . rake . . . mouth. [10]


1242

sugar

糖

Rice . . . T’ang. [16]


*

sieve



A rake and the grains of rice at the bottom give us a hint of winnowing, which relates clearly to the meaning of a sieve. [8]

癶 癸


1243

sane

康

Cave . . . sieve. [11]


1244

apprehend

逮

Think of apprehending criminals. The elements are: sieve . . . road. [11]


*

mop

尹

The only thing distinguishing a mop from a rake is the bent handle that does not cut through the top horizontal stroke. It depicts the swish-swash motion of a mop. [4]

緩 緬 緯 緲


1245

Italy

伊

Used chiefly in proper names, and given the sound “i,” this kanji can be remembered as an abbreviation of Italy, for which it is still used today in Japan. Its primitives: person . . . mop. [6]


1246

old boy

君

The somewhat highbrow British term of address is chosen here to represent the kanji for a form of address used towards one’s juniors. It is composed of: mop . . . mouth. [7]


1247

flock

群

Old boys . . . sheep. [13]


*

comb

而

The pictograph of a comb is clearly visible in this primitive element. [6]

発 登 發 白 百 皀


1248

-proof

耐

The key word is a suffix used to indicate “safe from” or “protected against,” as in the words rustproof, waterproof, and fireproof. It is composed of: comb . . . glue. [9]


1249

demand

需

The sense of demand is best captured by thinking of the economic principle of “supply and demand.” The primitives: rain . . .  comb. [14]


1250

Confucian

儒

Person . . . demand. [16]


1251

edge

端

Vase . . . mountain . . . comb. [14]


*

shovel

凵

This enclosure—which embraces its relative primitive from the bottom—is a pictograph of the scoop of a shovel. When room permits, the arms are extended upwards to nearly the same height as the relative element it holds. [2]

皂 皃


1252

both

両

Ceiling . . . belt . . . mountain. Note that the writing order follows the order in which the primitives are given here. [6]


1253

full

満

Water . . . flowers . . . both. Given the abstract nature of this last primitive, you may want to borrow the image from the previous frame. [12]


1254

brush-stroke

画

In forming an image for the key word, it is helpful to know that this kanji is used both for artistic representations (like a completed painting), and as a counter for the number of brush-strokes in a character. Its elements are: ceiling . . . sprout . . . shovel. [8]

皿 盂 的 皆 皇


1255

tooth

歯

Footprint . . . rice . . . shovel. [12]


1256

bend

曲

Picture yourself grabbing hold of the two strokes poking out the top of the kanji and wrenching them apart, thus giving the sense of bend. If you think of them as deriving from the element for brains beneath (of course, the middle stroke has been reduplicated and pulled out to where it can be grabbed hold of), you can associate the key word with bending someone’s mind to your own point of view. [6]

魑 魔 魘 魚 魯 魲


1257

cadet

曹

This character is written in the order of its elements: one . . . bend . . . sun. [11]


1258

encounter

遭

Cadet . . . road. [14]


1259

rowing

漕

Water . . . cadet. [14]


1260

vat

槽

Tree . . . cadet. [15]


1261

Big Dipper

斗

The Big Dipper here is of course the constellation of Ursa Major, of which this kanji is a sort of pictographic representation. [4]

皈 皋 皎 皐

Since we already have a primitive element for a “dipper”—namely, the ladle—we shall let this one stand for a measuring cup. By the way, it would make a rather large one, since the kanji is also used for a measure of about 18 liters!


1262

fee

料

Measuring cup . . . rice. [10]


1263

department

科

Think here of the faculty or department you entered in university, using the elements: measuring cup . . . wheat. [9]


1264

map

図

Pent in . . . Big Dipper. Hint: among the songs dating from the days of slavery that have become part of American folklore is one called “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” It referred to the nighttime travel of runaway slaves (those pent in) who had no maps other than the stars to guide them, among them the bright and predominant Big Dipper, the “Drinking Gourd.” [7]


1265

utilize

用

Flesh . . . walking stick. Be sure to keep this key word distinct from that for use (frame 1065). The stroke order is exactly as you would expect it from the order of the primitive elements as given. [5]

As a primitive element, we shall substitute the image of a screwdriver, perhaps the most utilized of all tools around the house.


1266

comfortable

庸

Cave . . . rake . . . screwdriver. [11]


1267

equip

備

Person . . . flowers . . . cliff . . . screwdriver. In cases like this you can jumble up the primitive into any order that seems best for the composition of a story, provided you feel confident about the relative position that those primitives take to one another in the completed character. [12]


Lesson 32

In this lesson we pick up a few primitives of quantity to complement those we learned in Lesson 7, as well as some others related closely to elements learned earlier.

*

salad



The element for flowers joins with the long horizontal stroke beneath it to create the picture of a bowl of salad. [4]


1268

once upon a time

昔

Salad . . . days. This is the character with which Japanese fairy tales commonly begin. [8]


1269

confused

錯

Metal . . . once upon a time. [16]


1270

borrow

借

Person . . . once upon a time. [10]


1271

pity

惜

State of mind . . . once upon a time. The sense of the key word is that of a lost opportunity or bad turn of affairs, as in the phrase “What a pity!” [11]


1272

set aside

措

Fingers . . . once upon a time. [11]


1273

scatter

散

Salad . . . flesh . . taskmaster. [12]


1274

twenty

廿

The two tens joined at the bottom by a short line is actually the old character for twenty, which we might as well learn since we need its primitive form. It is written the same as salad, except for the shorter final stroke. [4]

綢 綣 綫 綬


*

caverns



The primitive for caverns differs from that for cave by the presence of the primitive for twenty, suggesting a maze of underground caves. [7]


1275

commoner

庶

Caverns . . . oven fire. [11]


1276

intercept

遮

Commoner . . . road. [14]


1277

seat

席

Caverns . . . towel. [10]


1278

degrees

度

This key word refers to a gradation of measurement, not to academic diplomas. Its primitives: caverns . . . crotch. [9]


1279

transit

渡

Water . . . degrees. [12]


*

haystack

卉

The three needles stacked up give us a haystack (in which it may be harder to find the hay than the needles). In the rare case in which there is nothing underneath this element, as in the following frame, the last three strokes are written virtually the same as two hands—that is, the second stroke sweeps down slightly to the left. [5]

皓 皖 皙


1280

bustle

奔

The hustle and bustle of this character is depicted by a St. Bernard dog and a haystack. [8]


1281

erupt

噴

Mouth . . . haystack . . . clams. [15]


1282

tomb

墳

Soil . . . haystack . . . clams. In order not to confuse this kanji with that for a grave (frame 246), something like the image of an Egyptian tomb should be adopted, with all its special connotations. [15]


1283

aroused

憤

State of mind . . . haystack . . . clams. [15]


*

straw man

尭

The two human legs added to the haystack (with the horizontal stroke to keep the two parts distinct from one another and avoid an ugly tangle) give us a straw man. [8]

羅 羆 羇


1284

bake

焼

Hearth . . . straw man. Take care to distinguish this kanji from cook (frame 507) and burn (frame 549) when you compose your story. [12]


1285

daybreak

暁

Sun . . . straw man. [12]


1286

half

半

Although the writing order is different, one can remember the appearance of this character by seeing it as a little needle—the kind used for splitting hairs in half. (Again, according to rule, little takes a stroke beneath it in order to be placed over an element that has no horizontal line at the top.) [5]

网 罔 罕 罘 罟


1287

consort

伴

Person . . . half. [7]


1288

paddy ridge

畔

Rice field . . . half. The key word here refers to the ridges that rise up between the sections of a rice paddy. [10]


1289

judgment

判

Half . . . saber. You might recall the famous judgment of King Solomon, who offered to slice a baby in two with a saber to give half to each of the mothers who claimed it as her own. [7]


*

quarter



This character simply splits the vertical stroke of a half in half once again, to get a quarter. In so doing, it spreads the split stroke out to form a sort of enclosure under which its main relative primitive will be placed. It can be used either in its substantive or verbal meaning. [6]

皚 皛 皜


1290

fist

拳

Quarter . . . hand. Be careful to keep this key word distinct from the primitive element of the same meaning we met back on page 221. [10]


1291

ticket

券

Quarter . . . dagger. [8]


1292

scroll

巻

Quarter . . . snake. The key word refers to a manuscript rolled up into a scroll, not to a hanging scroll (frame 435). [9]


1293

sphere

圏

This key word refers to a realm or orbit, not to a ball. Its elements: pent in . . . scroll. [12]


1294

victory

勝

Moon . . . quarter . . . muscle. [12]


1295

wisteria

藤

Flower . . . moon . . . quarter . . . grains of rice. [18]


1296

facsimile

謄

Moon . . . quarter . . . words. [17]


1297

one-sided

片

This kanji is based on the pictograph of a tree with some branches going upwards and others hanging down, split right down the middle. When that picture’s right side is isolated, it becomes the kanji for one-sided, in the sense of only one part of a whole. [4]

皞 皦 皮 皰


1298

printing block

版

Although this character also carries the sense of an “edition” of a publication, the elements, one-sided and anti-, more readily suggest its other meaning of a printing block. [8]


1299

of

之

This character is now used chiefly in proper names, and is best learned as the character closest to the hiragana え, though in fact it has no relation to it. [3]

In order to give this kanji a more concrete meaning when it is used as a primitive element, think of it as referring to building blocks with the hiragana written on them, much the same as the A-B-C blocks you played with as a child.


1300

destitution

乏

Eyedropper . . . building blocks. [4]


1301

turf

芝

Flowers . . . building blocks. [6]


1302

negative

不

You may play with the primitives of this kanji as you wish (ceiling . . . person . . . a drop of), but you will probably find that its simplicity, and its frequency, make it easy to remember just as it is. [4]

練 緻 縁 縄


1303

negate

否

Negative . . . mouth. [7]


1304

cupfuls

杯

Tree . . . negative. [8]


Lesson 33

We turn now to the weapons that remain to be examined. To the saber, the dagger, and the arrow, we add three more primitives to complete the list: the spear, the snare, and the slingshot.

1305

dart

矢

When shot high into the heavens, the dart gets so small it looks like a mere drop. Although this character could as well mean “arrow,” it has no connection with the primitive of that meaning. Hence the new key word. [5]


1306

rectify

矯

Dart . . . angel. Compare your stories for correct (frame 405), revise (frame 362), and reformation (frame 567). [17]


1307

tribe

族

Banner . . . dart. [11]


1308

know

知

Dart . . . mouth. [8]


1309

wisdom

智

Know . . . sun. [12]


1310

shove

挨

Fingers . . . elbow . . . dart. [10]


1311

halberd

矛

The halberd’s battle-ax head and long shaft are depicted here. Take care with the number and order of the strokes. [5]

皴 皷 皸 皹 皺


1312

tender

柔

Halberd . . . tree. [9]


1313

task

務

Halberd . . . taskmaster . . . muscle. [11]


1314

fog

霧

Weather/rain . . . task. [19]


*

spear



This weapon, which has the appearance of the long saber but is drawn slightly differently, depicts a spear. It appears very rarely—in fact, only twice and both instances are given in the following frames. [2]


1315

squad

班

Spear between two balls. [10]


1316

homecoming

帰

Spear . . . broom . . . apron. The character for lady (frame 1234) shares the same right side as this character, which does not bode for a very happy homecoming. [10]


1317

bow

弓

This character pictures the bent wooden bow. Later we will learn how to make the bowstring that goes with it (frame 1487). If you stretch this character out and see the indentation on the left as its handle, the pictography should be clearer. [3]

纎 纏 纐


1318

pull

引

Bow . . . walking stick. [4]


1319

condolences

弔

A bow . . . wrapped around a walking stick. [4]


1320

vast

弘

Bow . . . elbow. [5]


1321

strong

強

Vast . . . insect. Note how the elbow of vast is shrunken and elevated to make room for the insect beneath. [11]


1322

more and more

弥

Bow . . . reclining . . . little. [8]


1323

weak

弱

Two bows . . . with ice on them. [10]


1324

drowning

溺

Water . . . weak. Do not confuse the meaning of this key word with 没 (frame 763), which is closer to “founder.” [13]


*

dollar sign

弗

Composed of two walking sticks running through a bow, this character is infrequent as a primitive, and yet easy to remember for what it looks like (which is also what the Japanese adopted it to mean in days gone by): the dollar sign, $. When it is written under another element, the first vertical stroke is abbreviated to a short “tail” as the final stroke, and the second vertical stroke is cut off at the top. Examples follow in frames 1327 and 1328. [5]

盆 盈 益 盍


1325

seethe

沸

Water . . . dollar sign. [8]


1326

expense

費

Dollar sign . . . shells/money. [12]


1327

No.

第

The key word No. is the abbreviation for “number.” Its elements: bamboo . . . dollar sign. [11]


1328

younger brother

弟

Horns . . . dollar sign. [7]


*

snare



The simple snare composed of a piece of vine and a bent twig is depicted here as a sort of abbreviation of the bow, to which it is related. [2]

盒 盖


1329

adroit

巧

Craft . . . snare. [5]


1330

nickname

号

Mouth . . . snare. [5]


1331

decay

朽

Tree . . . snare. Do not confuse with rot (frame 1099). [6]


1332

boast

誇

Words . . . St. Bernard dog . . . ceiling . . . snare. [13]


1333

chin

顎

Two mouths . . . ceiling . . . snare . . . head. [18]


1334

dirty

汚

Water . . . two . . . snare. Note that the first stroke for snare doubles up with the first stroke for two. [6]

盗 盛 盜


*

slingshot



The slingshot differs from the snare by virtue of the first stroke, which you may take as the strip of rubber you pull back on, to make the slingshot sling. [2]

盒 盞


1335

bestow

与

Slingshot . . . one. Later we will meet the character for give (frame 2046), but even so, it is a good idea already at this point to distinguish this key word from impart (frame 795) and grant (frame 1131). [3]

盞 盟


1336

copy

写

Crown . . . bestow. [5]


Lesson 34

Although we still have a number of primitives left relating to human activities, we may at this point pick up what remain of those having to do specifically with people and parts of the human body.

1337

somebody

身

The key word somebody was chosen to convey the double meaning of this kanji: body and person. Its composition is based on the nose (which, you will recall, is also the kanji for oneself). The extension of the bottom and far right strokes of that element, together with the unusual diagonal stroke, forms the pictograph of somebody with a prominent paunch. [7]

盡 監 盤 盥 盧 盪 目


1338

shoot

射

“I shot an arrow into the air, And it landed I know not where” goes the poem. (The poor poet obviously loses a lot of arrows.) This kanji, however, tells us where it did land. Its elements: somebody . . . glued to. [10]


1339

apologize

謝

Words . . . shoot. [17]


1340

old man

老

First, do not confuse this character with venerable old man (frame 849), which is far more rarely used. The character for an old man begins with an abbreviation of the character for somebody, the nose having been shortened into a simple criss-cross of lines. But there is another, simpler way to remember it all: the soil drawn first indicates that one has come close to the age when “dust to dust” begins to take on a personal meaning; the diagonal walking stick for getting around; and the spoon for being spoon-fed. [6]

盲 直 相

As a primitive, the meaning is the same, but the final two strokes are omitted so that they can be replaced with other elements: .


1341

consider

考

Old man . . . slingshot. Remember: you already have kanji for discriminating (frame 521), deliberation (frame 692), and think (frame 651). [6]


1342

filial piety

孝

Old man . . . child. [7]


1343

teach

教

Filial piety . . . taskmaster. [11]


1344

torture

拷

Fingers . . . consider. [9]


1345

someone

者

Old man . . . sun. This key word looks difficult because of its proximity to somebody. In fact, it is a very common kanji that will cause you no difficulty at all. Its meaning should be seen as the human referent for the abstract noun “something.” [8]

As a primitive it means a puppet-on-a-string.


1346

boil

煮

Puppet . . . oven fire. [12]


1347

renowned

著

Flowers . . . puppet. [11]


1348

chopsticks

箸

Bamboo . . . puppet. [14]


1349

signature

署

Eye . . . puppet. [13]


1350

sultry

暑

The key word refers to the heat of summer. Its elements: sun . . . puppet. [12]


1351

various

諸

Words . . . puppet. Do not confuse with miscellaneous (frame 604). [15]


1352

boar

猪

Pack of wild dogs . . . puppet. [11]


1353

strand

渚

The strand referred to here is the stretch of land along a beach or shoreline. Its elements are: water . . . puppet. [11]


1354

gamble

賭

Shells/money . . . puppet. [15]


*

scissors



This primitive is based on that for husband. The two extra strokes represent a pair of scissors he is carrying around. [6]

盻 盾 省 眄


1355

gorge

峡

Mountain . . . scissors. [9]


1356

cramped

狭

Pack of wild dogs . . . scissors. [9]


1357

sandwiched

挟

Fingers . . . scissors. Do not confuse with the kanji for pinch (frame 709). [9]


1358

cheek

頬

Scissors . . . head. [15]


*

maestro



To remember with this primitive meaning, you might picture a tuxedo-clad maestro waving his baton about wildly. The baton is, of course, the little drop at the top. And the two boxes attached to the long vertical stroke may represent his tuxedo tails, if you wish. [6]

眇 眈 眉 看 県 眛


1359

chase

追

Maestro . . . road. [9]


1360

large hill

阜

Maestro . . . needle. [8]


1361

expert

師

Maestro . . . ceiling . . . towel. [10]


1362

commander

帥

Maestro . . . towel. [9]


1363

bureaucrat

官

By replacing the maestro’s baton (the drop) with the roof of a house, we have his equivalent in the institutional world of big government: the bureaucrat. [8]


1364

coffin

棺

Wood . . . bureaucrat. [12]


1365

pipe

管

Bamboo . . . bureaucrat. [14]


1366

father

父

The kindness and hard work of the ideal father is seen in this abbreviation of the taskmaster that leaves off his rod or whip (the first stroke) and replaces it with the sweat of the father’s brow (the two drops at the top). [4]

眞 真 眠 眤


1367

cauldron

釜

Father . . . metal. Note the stroke overlap between father and metal. [10]


1368

mingle

交

Top hat . . . father. [6]


1369

merit

効

Mingle . . . muscle. Note the distinct connotations that separate merit from achievement (frame 927). [8]


1370

contrast

較

Cars . . . mingle. [13]


1371

exam

校

Tree . . . mingle. [10]


1372

leg

足

Mouth . . . mending. Note that the last stroke of mouth and the first of mending overlap. [7]

As a primitive on the left, it is amended to . Its meaning remains leg, but should be thought of as a wooden leg in order to avoid confusion with other similar elements, namely human legs, animal legs, and walking legs.


1373

stimulate

促

Person . . . leg. [9]


1374

nab

捉

Fingers . . . leg. [10]


1375

long-distance

距

Wooden leg . . . gigantic. [12]


1376

path

路

Wooden leg . . . each. [13]


1377

dew

露

Rain . . . path. [21]


1378

hop

跳

Wooden leg . . . portent. [13]


1379

leap

躍

Wooden leg . . . feathers . . . turkey. [21]


1380

tread

践

Wooden leg . . . parade float. [13]


1381

step

踏

The meaning of this character is virtually identical with that of the last frame. Be sure to come up with distinct connotations suggested by phrases in which each is commonly used. Wooden leg . . . water . . . sun. [15]


1382

trail

踪

Wooden leg . . . religion. The key word refers to a trail of footprints or tracks left behind.[13]


1383

skeleton

骨

This kanji and primitive refers to the part of the body composed of the bones and their joints. The top part of the kanji, terminating in the element for crown, is a pictograph of a bone joint. I leave it to you to put the pieces together, so to speak. [10]

眥 眦 眩 眷 眸 眺


1384

slippery

滑

Water . . . skeleton. [13]


1385

marrow

髄

Skeleton . . . possess . . . road. [19]


*

jawbone

咼

The meaning of this primitive is taken from the combination of “the joint” above and the mouth in the cowl below. [9]

縅 縉 縊 縋 縒 縛 縞


1386

calamity

禍

Altar . . . jawbone. [13]


1387

whirlpool

渦

Water . . . jawbone. [12]


1388

pot

鍋

Metal . . . jawbone. [17]


1389

overdo

過

Jawbone . . . road. [12]


Lesson 35

The next group of primitives we shall consider has to do with topography and exhausts the list of those remaining in that category.

*

pinnacle

阝

This key word has been chosen because of its connotation of “the highest point,” thereby suggesting the image of the highest point in a village, that is, a hill or mountain on which sacred or festive events take place. If you have a clear image of the Athenian acropolis, you might use it to express this element for a pinnacle. Note that this primitive appears only on the left. On the right, as we shall see later, the same form takes a different meaning. [3]

眼 着 睆


1390

Heights

阪

This character is used for proper names, much as the English word “Heights” is. Its primitives: pinnacle . . . anti-. [7]


1391

Africa

阿

This kanji, an abbreviation for Africa, is now used chiefly for its sound, “a,” not unlike the kanji for Italy and the sound “i” that we met earlier (frame 1245). Its composite elements are: pinnacle . . . can. [8]


1392

occasion

際

Pinnacle . . . ritual. [14]


1393

hinder

障

Pinnacle . . . badge. [14]


1394

chink

P

Pinnacle . . . little . . . sun . . . little. Note that the form of the first element for little given here is the simpler form that has become standard in general-use characters (see frame 110). For the time being, until typesetting fonts have made the adjustment, the officially approved drawing is this: 隙. [13]


1395

follow

随

Pinnacle . . . possess . . . road. [12]


1396

auxiliary

陪

Pinnacle . . . muzzle. [11]


1397

sunshine

陽

Different from the primitive for sun (which figures in the character) and the kanji for ray (frame 125), the key word sunshine is meant to convey the meaning of the masculine principle in nature, or “Yang.” (The dark is viewed mythically as the feminine principle; see frame 1718.) From there it comes to mean sun also. The elements are: pinnacle . . . piggy bank. [12]


1398

line up

陳

Pinnacle . . . east. [11]


1399

ward off

防

Pinnacle . . . compass. [7]


1400

affixed

附

Pinnacle . . . adhere. [8]


1401

Inst.

院

This key word, the abbreviation for Institution, represents the use of that word as a suffix affixed to certain buildings and organizations. Its primitive elements: pinnacle . . . perfect. [10]


1402

camp

陣

Pinnacle . . . car. [10]


1403

regiment

隊

Pinnacle . . . animal horns . . . sow. [12]


1404

crash

墜

Regiment . . . ground. [15]


1405

descend

降

Pinnacle . . . walking legs . . . sunglasses with a lens popped out. Distinguish from fall (frame 320) and crash, which we considered in the previous frame. [10]


1406

story

階

The story of this character refers to floors in a building. The elements: pinnacle . . . all. [12]


1407

highness

陛

This key word indicates a title of address to royalty. Its elements: pinnacle . . . compare . . . ground. [10]


1408

neighboring

隣

Pinnacle . . . rice . . . sunglasses. [16]


1409

isolate

隔

Pinnacle . . . ceiling . . . mouth . . . glass canopy . . . human legs . . . spike. You might want to compare the kanji for dissolve (frame 1123). [13]


1410

conceal

隠

Pinnacle . . . vulture . . . broom . . . heart. Compare the elements at the right to the kanji for calm (frame 1230). [14]


1411

degenerate

堕

Pinnacle . . . possess . . . ground. [12]


1412

collapse

陥

Pinnacle . . . bound up . . . olden times. [10]


1413

hole

穴

House . . . eight. [5]

As a primitive, this kanji uses an alternate form: the primitive for eight is replaced with that for human legs.


1414

empty

空

Hole . . . craft. [8]


1415

withdraw

控

Fingers . . . empty. [11]


1416

stab

突

Hole . . . St. Bernard dog. [8]


1417

research

究

Hole . . . baseball. [7]


1418

plug up

窒

Hole . . . climax. [11]


1419

stealth

窃

Hole . . . cut. [9]


1420

cavern

窟

Hole . . . yield. [13]


1421

depression

窪

Hole . . . water . . . ivy. The depression referred to here is a sunken place in the ground, rather than in one’s spirits. [14]


1422

squeeze

搾

Fingers . . . hole . . . saw. [13]


1423

kiln

窯

Hole . . . sheep . . . oven fire. [15]


1424

hard up

窮

Hole . . . somebody . . . bow. [15]


*

paper punch



This primitive simply discards the first stroke of that for hole to become a paper punch. When found at the top of its relative primitive, it undergoes the same change, the eight becoming human legs (see frame 1413). [4]


1425

grope

探

Fingers . . . paper punch . . . tree. [11]


1426

deep

深

Water . . . paper punch . . . tree. [11]


1427

hill

丘

Since this supposedly pictographic representation of a hill looks like anything but, picture a row of axes driven into the floor up to their heads, and see if that doesn’t present you with a more memorable image of hill—at least a riskier one sliding down! [5]


1428

Point

岳

Think of the key word as referring to proper names of mountains, but do not confuse with mountain pass (frame 835). The elements are: hill . . . mountain. [8]


1429

soldier

兵

Hill . . . animal legs. [7]


1430

seacoast

浜

Water . . . soldier. [10]


Lesson 36

The primitive for thread is one of the most common in all the kanji. This means that you are likely to be putting it where it doesn’t belong and forgetting to include it where it does—all the more reason to give it a vivid image each time. Fortunately, nearly all the thread-related kanji to be covered in this book will appear in this lesson, so you can learn them all at once.

1431

thread

糸

Remember when your granny used to ask you to bend your arms at the elbows and hold them out so that she could use them like a rack to hold a skein of string or yarn (here thread) while she rolled it up into a little ball? Now can you see the two elbows (with the second stroke doubling up) at the top, and the character for little below? [6]

睇 睚 睛 睡 督 睥


1432

weave

織

Thread . . . kazoo. [18]


1433

darning

繕

Thread . . . virtuous. [18]


1434

shrink

縮

Thread . . . inn. [17]


1435

luxuriant

繁

Cleverness . . . thread. [16]


1436

vertical

縦

Thread . . . accompany. [16]


1437

fine

緻

The key word should be taken to mean minute, detailed, or nuanced. Its primitive elements are: thread . . . doth. [16]


1438

line

線

Thread . . . spring. [15]


1439

come apart at the seams

綻

Thread . . . determine. [14]


1440

tighten

締

Thread . . . sovereign. [15]


1441

fiber

維

Thread . . . turkey. [14]


1442

gauze

羅

Eye . . . fiber. [19]


1443

practice

練

Thread . . . east. [14]


1444

thong

緒

Thread . . . puppet. Although we usually think of a thong as coming at the end of a piece of string, this character’s meaning allows for it to come at the beginning as well. [14]


1445

continue

続

Thread . . . sell. [13]


1446

picture

絵

Thread . . . meeting (full kanji). [12]


1447

overall

統

Thread . . . allot. [12]


1448

strangle

絞

Thread . . . mingle. [12]


1449

salary

給

Thread . . . fit. [12]


1450

entwine

絡

Thread . . . each. [12]


1451

tie

結

Thread . . . aerosol can. [12]


1452

end

終

Thread . . . winter. [11]


1453

class

級

Threads . . . outstretched hands. [9]


1454

chronicle

紀

Thread . . . snake. [9]


1455

crimson

紅

Thread . . . craft. [9]


1456

crimson

納

Thread . . . inside. [10]


1457

spinning

紡

For the kanji that means the spinning of thread and other fibers we have the elements: thread . . . compass. [10]


1458

distract

紛

Thread . . . part. [10]


1459

introduce

紹

Thread . . . seduce. [11]


1460

sūtra

経

Thread . . . spool. [11]


1461

sire

紳

Thread . . . monkey. [11]


1462

promise

約

Consider for a moment the etymology of the word “promise” in order to notice its roots in the activity of putting one thing (e.g., one’s word of honor) in place of another (e.g., the fulfillment of a task). For as it turns out, this character also means “to abridge, economize, and abbreviate”—all activities that involve putting one thing in place of another. With that in mind, we may now work with the elements: thread . . . ladle. [9]


1463

dainty

細

Thread . . . brains. [11]


1464

accumulate

累

Rice field . . . threads. Make use of the position of the elements to distinguish this kanji from that of the previous frame. [11]


1465

cord

索

Chapel (see frame 930) . . . thread. [10]


1466

general

総

This kanji, meaning universal or widespread, is composed of three elements: thread . . . public . . . heart. [14]


1467

cotton

綿

Thread . . . white . . . towels. [14]


1468

silk

絹

Thread . . . mouth . . . flesh. [13]


1469

winding

繰

Thread . . . goods . . . tree. [19]


1470

inherit

継

Thread . . . rice . . . hook. Compare frame 1218. [13]


1471

green

緑

Thread . . . broom . . . grains of rice. [14]


1472

affinity

縁

Thread . . . broom . . . sow. [15]


1473

netting

網

Thread . . . glass canopy . . . animal horns . . . perish. [14]


1474

tense

緊

Slave . . . crotch . . . thread. [15]


1475

purple

紫

Footprint . . . spoon . . . thread. [12]


1476

truss

縛

Threads . . . acupuncturist. [16]


1477

straw rope

縄

Thread . . . eels. [15]


*

cocoon

幺

The two triangular shapes here and their final stroke are intended as a pictograph of a cocoon, spun in circles and tied up at the end. It is like the character for thread, except that the silkworm’s actual product has not yet emerged clearly at the bottom. [3]

縟 縡 縢


1478

infancy

幼

Cocoon . . . muscle. [5]


1479

behind

後

Line . . . cocoon . . . walking legs. [9]


1480

faint

幽

Mountain . . . two cocoons. Observe how the two vertical strokes of the mountain are extended upwards to serve as a kind of enclosure. [9]

縣 縦 縫 縮 縱


1481

how many

幾

Two cocoons . . . person . . . fiesta. [12]

睦 睨 睫 睹

As a primitive, this kanji will mean an abacus, the bead-instrument used in the Orient to calculate how many.


1482

mechanism

機

Tree . . . abacus. [16]


1483

capital suburbs

畿

Two cocoons . . . rice field . . . fiesta. [15]


1484

mysterious

玄

Top hat . . . cocoon. [5]


1485

livestock

畜

Mysterious . . . rice field. [10]


1486

amass

蓄

Flowers . . . livestock. [13]


1487

bowstring

弦

Bow . . . mysterious. [8]


1488

hug

擁

Fingers . . . mysterious . . . turkey. Note that the top hat is extended across both elements, though it belongs only to the cocoon. This means that you may either use mysterious—as we did here—or take the three elements separately. [16]


1489

nourishing

滋

Water . . . double-mysterious. Note the doubling up of the element for top hat in the primitive for mysterious and assign it a special image, as it will come up in the next two frames. [12]


1490

mercy

慈

Double-mysterious . . . heart. [13]


1491

magnet

磁

Stone . . . double-mysterious. [14]


1492

lineage

系

The single stroke (an eyedropper) added to the beginning of the primitive for thread gives the image of threads woven into a single cord. Hence the meaning, lineage. [7]

並

As a primitive, we shall give this kanji the meaning of yarn, as the uniting of many threads into a single strand is most obvious with yarn.


1493

person in charge

係

Person . . . yarn. [9]


1494

grandchild

孫

Child . . . yarn. [10]


1495

suspend

懸

Prefecture . . . yarn . . . heart. [20]


1496

modest

遜

Grandchild . . . road. [13]


Lesson 37

Earlier we created an image for seal (frame 168). Here we come to a set of primitives based on the shape of a seal and deriving their meanings from the notion of stamping or sealing.

*

stamp

卩

This character is a kind of pictograph of a stamp that may best be imagined as a postage stamp to distinguish it from other stamp-like things to come up later. [2]

睾 睿


1497

instead

却

Gone . . . stamp. [7]


1498

shins

脚

Part of the body . . . instead. This character has more or less the same meaning as that for leg learned back in frame 1372. It can also indicate the part of the legs from the shins down, which explains the choice of the key word. [11]


1499

wholesale

卸

The left primitive is a union of a horse and footprint. To the right, the stamp. [9]

縲 縵 縶 縷 縹


1500

honorable

御

Line . . . wholesale. [12]


1501

clothing

服

Flesh . . . stamp . . . crotch. Note how the stamp is stretched out here. [8]


1502

fate

命

This character connotes life in general, but also the particular life to which one is fated by virtue of the distinctive character with which one is born. Its elements are: fit . . . stamp. The bottom portion of fit is nudged to the left in order to make room for the stamp. [8]


*

chop-seal



The chop-seal is the engraved piece of wood or stone used in the Orient to certify documents. Unlike the stamp, the top stroke here reaches a good distance to the left of its vertical stroke. When it appears at the top of another primitive, it is abbreviated to . [2]

瞋 瞎


1503

orders

令

Meeting . . . chop-seal. [5]


1504

zero

零

Rain . . . orders. [13]


1505

age

齢

This character is used to express the years of one’s age. Its elements: teeth . . . orders. [17]


1506

cool

冷

Ice . . . orders. [7]


1507

jurisdiction

領

Orders . . . head. [14]


1508

small bell

鈴

Gold . . . orders. [13]


1509

courage

勇

Chop-seal . . . man. [9]


1510

bubble up

湧

Water . . . courage. [12]


1511

traffic

通

Chop-seal . . . screwdriver . . . road. By combining the first two primitives into a single image, you will be able to use that image in a few instances later, one of which comes immediately. [10]


1512

jump

踊

Wooden leg . . . chop-seal . . . screwdriver. [14]


1513

doubt

疑

Spoon . . . dart . . . chop-seal . . . zoo. [14]


1514

mimic

擬

Fingers . . . doubt. [17]


1515

congeal

凝

Ice . . . doubt. [16]


*

fingerprint



The primitive for fingerprint is like that for stamp except that the second stroke bends back towards the right, like an arm. [2]

瞑 瞞


1516

pattern

範

Bamboo . . . car . . . fingerprint. [15]


1517

crime

犯

Wild dogs . . . fingerprint. [5]


1518

widespread

氾

Water . . . fingerprint. [5]


1519

unlucky

厄

Cliff . . . fingerprint. [4]


1520

dangerous

危

Bound up . . . unlucky. [6]


*

mailbox



Evening . . . fingerprint. [5]


1521

address

宛

House . . . mailbox. [8]


1522

arm

五

Part of the body . . . address. [12]


1523

garden

苑

Flowers . . . mailbox. [8]


1524

grudge

怨

Mailbox . . . heart. [9]


*

receipt



This primitive element is actually the mirror-image of that for stamp, but since Japanese does not permit a stroke to go to the left and bottom in one swoop, the visual similarity is not perfectly clear. If you play with the idea with pen and paper, its logic will become obvious. [3]

瞠 瞥 瞬


1525

willow

柳

Tree . . . receipt . . . stamp. [9]


1526

egg

卵

Receipt . . . stamp . . . and a drop in each side to represent a little smear of egg yoke. The third stroke is drawn slightly higher to close the egg up tightly and keep the yoke inside. [7]

馭 馮 馳 馴 馼 駁 駄


1527

detain

留

Receipt . . . dagger . . . rice field. [10]


1528

marine blue

瑠

Ball . . . detain. [14]


1529

trade

貿

Receipt . . . dagger . . . shells. Do not confuse with make a deal (frame 471) or wholesale (frame 1499). [12]


*

staples



This primitive represents a number of small staples, like the kind commonly used in an office and at school. [4]

瞭 瞰 瞳 瞶


1530

stamp

印

At last we come to the general character meaning stamp. Its elements: staples . . . stamp. [6]


1531

mortar

臼

The image here is of back-to-back staples. The mortar referred to in this key word is a stone or wooden basin used for grinding with a pestle. [6]


1532

break

毀

Mortar . . . soil . . . missile. [13]


1533

entertain

興

Mortar . . . same . . . tool. Note how the mortar is split in two to make room for the element same. [16]

    


Lesson 38

The next cluster of kanji has to do with primitives related to the activities of eating and drinking.

1534

sign of the bird

酉

Though we shall later encounter the kanji for bird, we introduce this one for the tenth sign of the zodiac mainly because of its use as a primitive, where it has a different meaning. [7]

瞹 瞻 瞼 瞽 瞿 矇 矍

As a primitive, it means whiskey bottle. In its pictograph, you can see the loosely corked lid, the bottle, and the contents (about one-third full). You might also think of the Spanish “porrón,” a decanter shaped like a long-necked bird.


1535

saké

酒

Water . . . whiskey bottle. [10]


1536

bartending

酌

Whiskey bottle . . . ladle. [10]


1537

hooch

酎

This kanji is used for thick, low-grade saké made from various kinds of grains. Its primitives are: whiskey bottle . . . glue. [10]


1538

fermentation

酵

Whiskey bottle . . . filial piety. [14]


1539

cruel

酷

Whiskey bottle . . . revelation. [14]


1540

repay

酬

Whiskey bottle . . . state. [13]


1541

dairy products

酪

Whiskey bottle . . . each. [13]


1542

vinegar

酢

Whiskey bottle . . . saw. [12]


1543

drunk

酔

Whiskey bottle . . . game of cricket. [11]


1544

distribute

配

Whiskey bottle . . . snake. [10]


1545

acid

酸

Whiskey bottle . . . license . . . walking legs. [14]


1546

waver

猶

Wild dogs . . . animal horns . . . whiskey bottle. [12]


1547

revered

尊

Animal horns . . . whiskey bottle . . . glue. [12]


1548

beans

豆

This kanji depicts a pot of beans, although it looks more like a table on which the pot is resting. [7]

矗 矚 矛 矜

As a primitive, this kanji will also mean table.


1549

head

頭

Here we meet at last the full kanji on which the primitive for head is based. The elements: table . . . head. [16]


1550

short

短

Dart . . . table. [12]


1551

bountiful

豊

Bend . . . table. Think of a bountiful harvest, and you will not be far from the meaning of this character. [13]


*

drum



The element for drum shows a samurai over a table. The top stroke of the table appears to be missing, but actually it has doubled up with the final stroke of the element for samurai. [9]


1552

drum

鼓

The full kanji for the drum adds a branch, apparently to serve as a drumstick, to the primitive for drum. [13]


1553

rejoice

喜

Drum . . . mouth. [12]


1554

timber-trees

樹

Trees . . . drum . . . glue. [16]


1555

dish

皿

The kanji for a dish is, clearly, the pictograph of a painted or carved bowl, seen from the side. [5]

矢 矣 知 矧 矩


1556

blood

血

The drop in the dish is blood. It is similar to the drop we saw earlier on the dagger in the character for blade (frame 88). [6]


1557

basin

盆

Part . . . dish. [9]


1558

alliance

盟

Bright . . . dish. [13]


1559

steal

盗

Next . . . dish. [11]


1560

warm

温

Water . . . sun . . . dish. [12]


1561

lid

蓋

Flowers . . . gone . . . dish. [13]


1562

oversee

監

Slaves . . . reclining . . . floor/one . . . dish. [15]


1563

overflow

濫

Water . . . oversee. [18]


1564

specimen

鑑

Metal . . . oversee. [23]


1565

indigo

藍

Flowers . . . oversee. [18]


1566

fierce

猛

Wild dogs . . . child . . . dish. [11]


1567

boom

盛

Here boom refers to something that is popular and prospering. Its elements: turn into . . . dish. [11]


1568

salt

塩

Ground . . . reclining . . . mouth . . . dish. [13]


*

silver

艮

We give this element the meaning of silver from the kanji in the following frame. Both the original pictographic representation and the primitive elements that make it up are more trouble to hunt out than they are worth. It is best simply to learn it as is. In doing so, take careful note of the stroke order, and also the fact that when this element appears on the left, the penultimate stroke is omitted, giving us simply . [6]

短 矮 矯 石 矼 砂


1569

silver

銀

Metal . . . silver. [14]

砌 砒


1570

resentment

恨

State of mind . . . silver. [9]


1571

root

根

Tree . . . silver. [10]


1572

instant

即

Silver . . . stamp. [7]


1573

baron

爵

Vulture . . . eye . . . silver . . . glue. [17]


1574

node

節

Bamboo . . . instant. [13]


1575

retreat

退

Road . . . silver. [9]


1576

limit

限

Pinnacle . . . silver. [9]


1577

eyeball

眼

Eye . . . silver. [11]


1578

good

良

Drop of . . . silver. [7]

As a primitive, use the image of a saint’s halo. As with silver, when this element is drawn on the left, the penultimate stroke is omitted, giving us .


1579

melodious

朗

Halo . . . moon. [10]


1580

wandering

浪

Water . . . halo. [10]


1581

daughter

娘

Woman . . . halo. [10]


1582

eat

食

If halo and umbrella aren’t enough, break the halo down into drop and silver—or “silverware,” an additional primitive. [9]

As a primitive the kanji means eating or food. As with silver, on the left the final two strokes are combined into one.


1583

meal

飯

Food . . . anti-. [12]


1584

drink

飲

Food . . . yawn. [12]


1585

hungry

飢

Food . . . wind. [10]


1586

starve

餓

Food . . . ego. [15]


1587

decorate

飾

Food . . . reclining . . . towel. [13]


1588

feed

餌

Food . . . ear. The sense of the key word here is that of bait or feed for animals.[14]


1589

Bldg.

館

The abbreviation of Building suggests that this kanji is used in proper names, as indeed it often is. Keep your connotation distinct from Inst. (frame 1401) when working with the elements: food . . . bureaucrat. [16]


1590

mochi

餅

Mochi is the glutinous rice the Japanese pound into cakes. Its primitives are: food . . . puzzle. [14]


1591

foster

養

Sheep . . . food. The key word has the sense of promoting the development of something, especially in a psychological or spiritual sense. [13]


1592

sated

飽

Eat . . . wrap. [13]


*

waitress



If you draw this character once, you will see that its first three strokes resemble the form for receipt (except that the third stroke ends more parallel to the first), with its last stroke stretched to form the first of the two human legs. From this we give it its meaning of a waitress (who should not be confused with the waiter back in frame 1050). [5]

研 ! 砕 砠 砡


1593

previously

既

Silver . . . waitress. Do not confuse this kanji’s key word with before (frame 263). [10]


1594

outline

概

Roots . . . waitress. Note that the kanji meaning of the two primitives to the right is not used here because we shall later meet a primitive meaning beforehand and want to preempt any confusion. The same holds true in the following frame. [14]


1595

rue

慨

Resentment . . . waitress. [13]


Lesson 39

A number of primitives relating to plant life remain to be considered, and we shall devote the next two pages to doing so. In the following pages, as indeed in the rest of the book, we shall meet several elements whose use is quite limited. Nevertheless, it is better to learn them as primitives both in order to acquaint yourself better with the way the Japanese writing system repeats certain combinations of elements, and in order later to facilitate the learning of characters outside the compass of these pages.

1596

even

平

This character is easiest remembered as a pictograph of a water lily floating on the surface of the water, which gives it its meaning of even. The fourth stroke represents the calm, smooth surface of a pond, and the final stroke the long stem of the plant reaching underwater. [5]

砥 砦 砧 砲 破

As a primitive, this kanji can keep its pictographic meaning of a water lily.


1597

call

呼

Mouth . . . water lily. Note: this is the one time that the “stem” has a barb at the end. Work this fact into your story. [8]


1598

two-mat area

坪

This kanji belongs to an old Japanese system of measurement and indicates an area of about 36 square feet, or the area taken up by two tatami mats. Its elements: ground . . . water lily. [8]


1599

evaluate

評

Words . . . water lily. [12]


*

sheaf



These two strokes are a crude drawing of a bundle of stalks bound together into a sheaf. [2]

砺 砿


1600

reap

刈

Sheaf . . . saber. [4]


1601

moment

刹

The key word here is the noun meaning “a brief moment.” Its elements: sheaf . . . tree . . . saber. [8]


1602

hope

希

Sheaf . . . linen. [7]


1603

villain

凶

Sheaf . . . shovel. [4]

硅 硎


1604

bosom

胸

Part of the body . . . bound up . . . villain. [10]


1605

detach

離

Top hat . . . villain . . . belt . . . elbow . . . turkey. This is potentially one of the most difficult characters to remember. Tackle it positively and let the image “sink in” by carrying it around with you today and calling it up in your spare moments. [18]


1606

crystal

璃

This kanji refers to one of the seven classical stones of China. Its elements: ball . . . top hat . . . villain . . . belt . . . elbow. [14]


1607

kill

殺

Sheaf . . . tree . . . missile. [10]


1608

bracing

爽

The sense of the key word is of something refreshing and invigorating. It is made up of the St. Bernard and a pair of sheaves on each side.[11]


*

earthworm

屯

Drop of . . . shovel . . . fishhook. [4]

硝 硤 硫 硬


1609

genuine

純

Thread . . . earthworm. [10]


1610

immediate

頓

Earthworm . . . head. [13]


1611

dull

鈍

Metal . . . earthworm. [12]


1612

spicy

辛

The character in this frame pictures food whose taste is so hot and spicy that it makes the hairs on your body stand up as straight as needles. [7]

As a primitive, we shall use this meaning of spicy, except when the two extra strokes are added to the bottom, giving it the form of a tree: . Then we take its alternate meaning of a red pepper plant. The connection is obvious.


1613

resign

辞

Tongue . . . spicy. [13]


1614

catalpa

梓

Tree . . . spicy. [11]


1615

superintend

宰

House . . . spicy. [10]


*

ketchup

辟

One way American children learn to cope with food they are forced to eat against their will is to smother it with ketchup. We can see this depicted in the mouth with the flag over it (in this case, the Stars and Stripes), set alongside the element for spicy (all of which is not far removed from the original meaning it had as a character on its own: “false”). [13]

縺 縻 總


1616

wall

壁

Ketchup . . . ground. [16]


1617

holed gem

璧

The holed gem to which this kanji refers is a flat, circular object of about a foot in length, made of stone or glass and having a large hole in the middle. Its elements: ketchup . . . ball. [18]


1618

evade

避

Ketchup . . . road. [16]


1619

new

新

Red pepper . . . ax. [13]


1620

firewood

薪

Flowers . . . new. [16]


1621

parent

親

Red pepper . . . see. [16]


1622

happiness

幸

Simply by turning the dot at the top of the primitive for spicy into a cross shape, we move from things bitter and spicy to things happy. [8]


1623

tenacious

執

Happiness . . . fat man. [11]


1624

clasp

摯

Of the many and widely different meanings of this kanji, we select the verbal meaning of clasp, which fits in well with its primitive elements: tenacious . . . hand. [15]


1625

report

報

Happiness . . . stamp . . . crotch. Compare frame 1501. [12]


*

cornucopia



Considering the lack of circular lines, this kanji is not a bad pictograph of a cornucopia. Despite the appearance of the printed form, what looks like the first two strokes are actually written as one. [2]

硯 硲


1626

shout

叫

Mouth . . . cornucopia. [5]


1627

twist

糾

Thread . . . cornucopia. [8]


1628

income

収

Cornucopia . . . crotch. Keep distinct from both fare (frame 1079) and salary (frame 1449). [4]


1629

income

卑

A drop of . . . brains . . . cornucopia. [8]


1630

tombstone

碑

Rock . . . lowly. [13]


*

rice seedling



As we mentioned back in frame 249, rice seedlings get an element all their own: soil and human legs becomes an ideograph of the spikelets of rice bunched together for implanting in the muddy soil of the paddy. [5]


1631

land

陸

The sense of land carried by this kanji is distinct from soil (frame 161) and ground (frame 554) in that it is meant to represent land seen from a distance, that is, land as opposed to “water.” Its elements: pinnacle . . . rice seedlings . . . ground. [11]


1632

intimate

睦

Eye . . . rice seedlings . . . ground. [13]


1633

forces

勢

Rice seedlings . . ground . . . fat man . . . muscle. [13]


1634

heat

熱

Rice seedlings . . . ground . . . fat man . . . oven fire. [15]


1635

diamond

菱

Named after a diamond-shaped flower (the water caltrop), this key word refers to things shaped like a diamond. Its elements: flower . . . rice seedlings . . . walking legs. [11]


1636

mausoleum

陵

Pinnacle . . . rice seedlings . . . walking legs. [11]


1637

sign of the hog

亥

This kanji is the 12th sign of the Chinese zodiac: the sign of the hog. It is best learned by thinking of an acorn-eating hog in connection with the primitive meaning given below. [6]

硴 硺 硼 碁 碆 碇

The top hat represents the external shape of the acorn, and the unusual but easily written complex of strokes beneath it (which you might also see as distortions of an elbow and person) stands for the mysterious secret whereby the acorn contains the oak tree in a nutshell.


1638

nucleus

核

Tree . . . acorn. [10]


1639

engrave

刻

Acorn . . . saber. [8]


1640

above-stated

該

Words . . . acorn. [13]


1641

remains

骸

Skeleton . . . acorn. [16]


1642

censure

劾

Acorn . . . muscle. [8]


*

resin



This tree has become a pole (that is, a tree with its branches not touching) because most of its branches have been pruned off by a naive but greedy gardener anxious to siphon off its resin (the drop at the top, written as the final stroke) as quickly as possible. [5]

罸 罹 羂 羃


1643

mention

述

Resin . . . road. [8]


1644

art

術

Boulevard . . . resin. [11]


*

celery



This primitive looks very close to that for salad, except that an extra horizontal line has been included, reminiscent I should think of the long celery sticks in your salad. [5]

罨 罩 罪 罫


1645

cold

寒

House . . . celery . . . animal legs . . . ice. [12]


1646

block up

塞

House . . . celery . . . animal legs . . . soil. [13]


*

grass skirt



This unusual looking grass skirt is composed of a top hat and scarf, and eight celery sticks. [13]

置 罰 署 罵


1647

brew

醸

Whiskey bottle . . . grass skirt. [20]


1648

defer

譲

Words . . . grass skirt. [20]


1649

lot

壌

Ground . . . grass skirt. The lot of this key word refers to a portion of land. [16]


1650

lass

嬢

Woman . . . grass skirt. [16]


Lesson 40

The remainder of plant-related primitives are built up from combinations of vertical and horizontal lines, representing respectively plants and the earth from which they spring. Accordingly it would be a good idea to study the remaining elements of this section at a single sitting, or at least so to review them before passing on to the next grouping.

*

grow up



As the plant grows up it sprouts leaves and a stalk, which are depicted here over a single horizontal stroke for the soil. Think of something (its relative primitive) growing up in a flash to many times its normal size, much like little Alice in Wonderland, who grew up so fast she was soon larger than the room in which she was sitting. [4]

碌 碍 碎 碑


1651

poison

毒

Grow up . . . breasts. [8]


1652

elementary

素

Grow up . . . thread. [10]


1653

barley

麦

Grow up . . . walking legs. [7]


1654

blue

青

Grow up . . . moon. [8]


1655

refined

精

Rice . . . blue. [14]


1656

solicit

請

Words . . . blue. [15]


1657

feelings

情

State of mind . . . blue. Do not confuse with emotion (frame 662). [11]


1658

clear up

晴

Take the key word in its associations with the weather (unless that tempts you to include the primitive for weather, which doesn’t belong here). Its elements: sun . . . blue. [12]


1659

pure

清

Water . . . blue. [11]


1660

quiet

静

Blue . . . contend. Do not confuse with calm (frame 1230). [14]


1661

blame

責

Grow up . . . oyster. [11]


1662

exploits

績

Thread . . . blame. [17]


1663

volume

積

Wheat . . . blame. This key word has to do with measurement, and should be kept distinct from the kanji for quantity (frame 189)—even though the meanings are similar. [16]


1664

bond

債

Person . . . blame. The key word refers to financial bonds. [13]


1665

pickling

漬

Water . . . blame. [14]


1666

surface

表

Grow up . . . scarf. This character represents the “outside” of a garment, just as the kanji for back (frame 426) depicted the “inside” or lining. [8]


1667

bag

俵

Keep this kanji distinct from that for sack (frame 1081). Its elements are: person . . . surface. [10]


1668

undefiled

潔

Water . . . grow up . . . dagger . . . thread. Do not confuse with upright (frame 58). [15]


1669

pledge

契

Grow up . . . dagger . . . St. Bernard dog. The connotation of this character should be kept distinct from that for vow (frame 1214) and promise (frame 1462). [9]


1670

consume

喫

Mouth . . . pledge. [12]


1671

harm

害

House . . . grow up . . . mouth. [10]


1672

control

轄

Car . . . harm. Hint: the image of an auto going “out of control” may help keep this key word distinct from others like it, such as manipulate (frame 864). [17]


1673

proportion

割

Harm . . . saber. [12]


1674

constitution

憲

The key word refers to the fundamental guiding principles of a government or other organization. Its elements: House . . . grow up . . . eyes . . . heart. [16]


1675

life

生

A single drop added to the element for grow up gives us the character for life. [5]

As a primitive, we may think of a microscopic cell, that miraculous unit that grows up to become a living being.


1676

star

星

Sun . . . cell. [9]


1677

awakening

醒

Whiskey bottle . . . star. [16]


1678

surname

姓

Woman . . . cell. [8]


1679

sex

性

State of mind . . . cell. [8]


1680

animal sacrifice

牲

Cow . . . cell. [9]


1681

products

産

Vase . . . cliff . . . cell. [11]


1682

hump

隆

This character, used for everything from little humps of hills to camel humps, easily suggests the hunch on the pig’s back and hind parts where the best cuts of meat are to be found (and hence the English expression for luxury, “living high off the hog”). The elements we have to work with are: pinnacle . . . walking legs . . . cell. [11]


*

bushes

丰

Whatever image you contrived for the character meaning hedge (frame 165), choose something different and clearly distinguishable for this primitive for bushes. The element itself differs from that for grow up only in the extension of the single vertical stroke beneath the final horizontal stroke and in the order of writing. Though we shall meet only one instance of it in this chapter and one more later on, it is worth noting that when this element appears on the side, the final stroke is sloped somewhat to the left: . [4]

績 繁


1683

summit

峰

Mountain . . . walking legs . . . bushes. [10]


1684

bee

蜂

Insect . . . walking legs . . . bushes. [13]


1685

sew

縫

Thread . . . walking legs . . . bushes . . . road. [16]


1686

worship

拝

Fingers . . . bush . . . suspended from the ceiling. [8]


1687

longevity

寿

Bushes . . . glue. [7]


1688

casting

鋳

Metal . . . longevity. As you probably guessed from the elements, the key word refers to the casting of metals. [15]


*

Christmas tree

耒

The addition of the final two strokes to the element for bushes gives the sense of a tree that is also a bush. Hence, the Christmas tree. [6]

碚 碣


1689

enroll

籍

Bamboo . . . Christmas tree . . . once upon a time. [20]


*

bonsai



The element for bushes has an extra stroke added (drawn down from the middle of the second stroke when it “encloses” something beneath, otherwise from the point where the third and fourth strokes intersect) to give the image of the crutches Japanese gardeners use to hold up a tree that is being bent into shape. From there it is but a short leap to the small bonsai plants that imitate this art in miniature. [5]

紿 終 絃 組 絅


1690

springtime

春

Bonsai . . . sun. [9]


1691

camellia

椿

Tree . . . springtime. [13]


1692

peaceful

泰

Bonsai . . . grains of rice. [10]


1693

play music

奏

Bonsai . . . heavens. [9]


1694

reality

実

House . . . bonsai. [8]


*

cornstalk



The element for bushes extended the vertical stroke beneath the final horizontal stroke; the cornstalk omits that final stroke altogether, leaving only the stalk and the leaves bursting forth on all sides. [3]

碓 碕 碗


1695

dedicate

奉

Bonsai . . . cornstalk. Use a ritualistic, religious meaning. [8]


1696

stipend

俸

Person . . . dedicate. [10]


1697

rod

棒

Tree . . . dedicate. [12]


*

cabbage



The flower, the mouth, and the element for grow up combine here to create the primitive for cabbage. [10]

碧 碨 碪 碫 碬 碮


1698

discreet

謹

Words . . . cabbage. [17]


1699

trifle

僅

Person . . . cabbage. [12]


1700

diligence

勤

Cabbage . . . muscle. [12]


*

scarecrow



By twisting the final two strokes of our cabbage into a pair of legs, we get a scarecrow with a cabbage for a head. [10]

碯 碱 碲 碳 碴 確


1701

Sino-

漢

Water . . . scarecrow. The key word has come to refer to things Chinese in general, including the kanji themselves (for which this character is used). [13]


1702

sigh

嘆

Mouth . . . scarecrow. [13]


1703

difficult

難

Scarecrow . . . turkey. [18]


*

silage



The drawing of this element is difficult to do smoothly, and should be practiced carefully. It is a pictograph of all sorts of plants and grasses thrown together to make silage. The vertical stroke is drawn here with a broken line to indicate that it will always double up with another primitive element’s vertical stroke. [6]

碼 碾 磁 磅 磆 磊


1704

splendor

華

Flower . . . silage . . . needle. [10]


1705

droop

垂

A drop of . . . silage . . . walking stick . . . floor. The character is written in the order of its elements. [8]


1706

saliva

唾

Mouth . . . droop. [11]


1707

drowsy

睡

Eyes . . . droop. [13]


1708

spindle

錘

Metal . . . droop. [16]


1709

ride

乗

The simplest way to remember this character is to find the sprig of wheat in it, hidden because it doubles up with one stroke of silage. [9]


1710

surplus

剰

Ride . . . saber. [11]


Lesson 41

Only a few of the primitives relating to time and direction remain. It is to these that we turn our attention in this lesson.

1711

now

今

The final stroke of this kanji is a rare shape, which we have not met before and will only meet in this character and others that include it as a primitive. We are more accustomed to seeing it straightened out as part of other shapes—for instance, as the second stroke of mouth. If you need any help at all with this character, you may picture it as two hands of a clock pointing to what time it is now. The element above it, meeting, should easily relate to that image. [4]

We shall use clock as the primitive meaning of this character, in line with the above explanation.


1712

include

含

Clock . . . mouth. [7]


1713

covet

貪

Clock . . . shellfish. [11]


1714

versify

吟

As we have already learned characters for poem (frame 370), chant (frame 21), and song (frame 508), it is important to protect this key word with an image all its own. Its elements are the same as those above; only the position has changed: mouth . . . clock. [7]


1715

wish

念

Clock . . . heart. [8]


1716

wrench

捻

This kanji does not refer to the tool but to the act of twisting. Its elements: fingers . . . wish. [11]


1717

harp

琴

A pair of balls . . . clock. [12]


1718

shade

陰

Just as the sunshine (frame 1397) represents the masculine principle in nature (Yang), the shade stands for the feminine principle (Yin). Its elements are: pinnacle . . . clock . . . rising cloud. [11]


1719

beforehand

予

Think of this character as identical to the halberd (frame 1311) except that the final stroke has been omitted. Return to that character and devise some image to take this difference into account. [4]


1720

preface

序

Cave . . . beforehand. [7]


1721

deposit

預

Beforehand . . . head. [13]


1722

plains

野

This character refers to rustic life and rustic fields primarily, and from there gets derived meanings. Its elements: computer . . . beforehand. [11]


1723

concurrently

兼

At the top we have the animal horns and the single horizontal stroke to give them something to hang onto. Below that, we see one rake with two handles. Finally, we see a pair of strokes splitting away from each of the handles, indicating that they are both splitting under the pressure. The composite picture is of someone holding down two jobs concurrently, using the same kit of tools to move in two different directions and ending up in a mess. Take the time to find this sense in the kanji and it will be easy to remember, despite initial appearances. [10]

磋 磐 磑 磔 磚 磧 磨 磬 磯 磴


1724

dislike

嫌

Woman . . . concurrently. [13]


1725

sickle

鎌

Metal . . . concurrently. [18]


1726

self-effacing

謙

Words . . . concurrently. [17]


1727

bargain

廉

Cave . . . concurrently. [13]


1728

west

西

To our way of counting directions, the west always comes fourth. So it is convenient to find the character for four in this kanji. But since we want only one of the four directions, the west adds the one at the top and sucks the human legs a bit out of their mouth in the process. [6]

磽 礁 礇 礎

As a primitive, the meaning of west can be expanded to refer to the Old West of cowboy-movie fame, just as the meaning of the character for east was expanded into the East. Note, however, that in its primitive form the legs are straightened out and reach down to the bottom of the mouth. Hence, we get the shape . With the exception of one kanji, given in the following frame, this element always appears at the top of its relative primitives.


1729

value

価

Person . . . Old West. [8]


1730

need

要

Old West . . . woman. [9]


1731

loins

腰

Part of the body . . . need. [13]


1732

ballot

票

Old West . . . altar. [11]


1733

drift

漂

Water . . . ballot. [14]


1734

signpost

標

Tree . . . ballot. [15]


1735

chestnut

栗

Old West . . . tree. [10]


1736

shudder

慄

State of mind . . . chestnut.. [13]


1737

transition

遷

West . . . St. Bernard dog . . . snake . . . road. [15]


1738

capsize

覆

West . . . restore. [18]


1739

smoke

煙

Hearth . . . Old West . . . ground. [13]


1740

south

南

Belt . . . happiness. Note how the belt runs through the middle of happiness. [9]

礑 礒 礙


1741

camphor tree

楠

Tree . . . south. [13]


1742

offering

献

South . . . chihuahua. [13]


Lesson 42

This next collection of characters is based on the primitive for gates. From there we shall go on to consider other elements related to entrances and barriers in general.

1743

gates

門

The pictograph of two swinging gates is so clear in this kanji that only its stroke order needs to be memorized. In case you should have any trouble, though, you might doodle with the shapes on a piece of paper, taking care to note the difference in the stroke order of the two facing doors. The gates usually serve as an enclosure, and are written before whatever it is they enclose. [8]

示 礼 社 祀 祁 祇 祈 祉

As a primitive, we shall continue to give it the meaning of gates, but recommend the image of swinging doors (like the kind once common at entrances to saloons) to distinguish it from the primitive for door.


1744

question

問

Gates . . . mouth. [11]


1745

review

閲

Gates . . . devil. Keep the connotation of this key word distinct from those of inspection (frame 1174), revise (frame 362), and perusal (frame 919). [15]


1746

clique

閥

Gates . . . fell. [14]


1747

interval

間

Gates . . . sun/day. This interval applies to time and space alike, but the latter is better for creating an image. [12]


1748

pitch dark

闇

Gates . . . sound. [17]


1749

simplicity

簡

Bamboo . . . interval. [18]


1750

open

開

Gates . . . two hands. [12]


1751

closed

閉

Gates . . . genie. [11]


1752

tower

閣

Gates . . . each. [14]


1753

leisure

閑

Gates . . . tree. [12]


1754

hear

聞

Gates . . . ear. Compare the story you invented for the kanji meaning listen (frame 890). [14]


1755

wet

潤

Water . . . gates . . . king. [15]


1756

column

欄

Tree . . . gates . . . east. [20]


1757

fight

闘

Gates . . . table . . . glue. Do not confuse with contend (frame 1238). [18]


1758

godown

倉

The single gate is used here not in order to represent one gate, but many of them, indeed a meeting of gates. Add mouth (as an entrance here) and you end up with godown. That should help keep this character distinct from warehouse (frame 633). [10]


1759

genesis

創

Godown . . . saber. [12]


1760

un-

非

This key word, a negating prefix, is a doodle of a heavy iron pole with bars extending in both directions, to create the picture of a jail cell. From there to “un-” is but a short step. [8]

祐 祓 祕 祖 祗 祚 祝 神

As a primitive, we shall draw on the explanation above for the meaning of jail cell.


1761

haiku

俳

This character is used for the haiku, the 17-syllable poem that is one of Japan’s best-known literary forms. Its elements: person . . . jail cell. [10]


1762

repudiate

排

Fingers . . . jail cell. [11]


1763

sad

悲

Jail cell . . . heart. [12]


1764

guilt

罪

Eye . . . jail cell. [13]


1765

comrade

輩

Jail cell . . . car. [15]


1766

front door

扉

Door . . . jail cell. [12]


*

key

膾

This element gets its name and meaning from its pictographic representation of a key. The shape should be familiar: it is none other than the third and fourth strokes of the kanji for five. [2]

繃 繆


1767

marquis

侯

Person . . . key . . . dart. Hint: the pun suggested by the pronunciation of the key word and the primitive for key may come in helpful. [9]


1768

throat

喉

Mouth . . . marquis. [12]


1769

climate

候

Marquis . . . walking stick. Note where the walking stick is positioned in this kanji. [10]


*

guillotine



This element depicts a large, sharpened key coming down on the head of a criminal St. Bernard. [4]

繊 繋 繍


1770

decide

決

The etymology of decide (de-cidere = cut off ) will help here; the elements are: water . . . guillotine. [7]


1771

cheerful

快

State of mind . . . guillotine. [7]


*

locket

韋

The vertical stroke added here (the third stroke) turns the primitive element for a key into a locket. Below that, we find a square container (the mouth) and sunglasses with one of the lenses popped out. Note that in the primitive element for locket the final vertical stroke of sunglasses reaches all the way through to touch the mouth. [10]

礦 礪 礫


1772

admirable

偉

Person . . . locket. [12]


1773

difference

違

Locket . . . road. [13]


1774

horizontal

緯

Thread . . . locket. [16]


1775

defense

衛

Boulevard . . . locket. Do not confuse with ward off (frame 1399), protect (frame 1072), guard (frame 198), or safeguard (frame 756). [16]


1776

Korea

韓

As with Italy (frame 1245) and Africa (frame 1391), this character simply abbreviates the full name of Korea. Its elements: mist . . . locket. [18]


Lesson 43

The next few primitives are only loosely related in the sense that they all have to do with qualities of material objects in one way or another.

1777

dry

干

It is best to see this kanji as a pictograph of a revolving circular clothesline (viewed from the side). Spin it around quickly in your mind’s eye to give it the connotation of to dry. [3]

舞 舟 舩

The primitive meaning is clothesline.


1778

liver

肝

Part of the body . . . clothesline. [7]


1779

publish

刊

Clothesline . . . saber. [5]


1780

sweat

汗

Water . . . clothesline. [6]


1781

flats

軒

This counter for houses is made up of cars . . . clothesline. [10]


1782

beach

岸

Mountain . . . cliff . . . clothesline. [8]


1783

tree trunk

幹

Mist . . . umbrella . . . clothesline. The meaning of this key word extends beyond tree trunks to represent the main stem or line of anything from railway lines to managerial staffs. This should distinguish it from the stories used earlier for book (frame 224) and body (frame 1030), both of which made use of the image of a tree trunk, as well as the kanji for trunk (frame 194). [13]


*

potato

于

Note how this element differs from dry in virtue of the small hook at the end of the third stroke. [3]

祟 祠 祢


1784

potato

芋

Flowers . . . potato. [6]


1785

eaves

宇

House . . . potato. [6]


1786

too much

余

Umbrella . . . potato . . . little. The last stroke of potato and the first of little coincide in this character. [7]

Since the phrase “too much” is overly abstract, we shall take the image of a scale whose indicator spins round and round on the dial because too much weight has been set on it. It will help to use this image in learning the kanji itself.


1787

exclude

除

Pinnacle . . . scale. [10]


1788

gradually

徐

Line . . . scale. [10]


1789

confer

叙

Scale . . crotch. The key word has to do with conferring ranks, titles, and awards. It should not be confused with bestow (frame 1335) or impart (frame 795). [9]


1790

route

途

Scale . . . road. [10]


1791

diagonal

斜

Scale . . . measuring cup. [11]


1792

paint

塗

Water . . . scale . . . ground. [13]


1793

bundle

束

In the same way that we were able to see the sun in the tree within the kanji for east, here we see a square container in the shape of a mouth. [7]


1794

trust

頼

Bundle . . . head. [16]


1795

rapids

瀬

Water . . . trust. [19]


1796

imperial order

勅

In order to keep this character distinct from that for an imperial edict (frame 366), we must draw again on a pun. Think of the order here as a mail order or an order of pizza phoned in by the Emperor for delivery to the imperial palace. Then it will not be hard to put together bundle and muscle to form a story about an imperial order. [9]


1797

alienate

疎

Zoo . . . bundle. Note that the element for zoo is flattened out on the left just as leg (frame 1372) had been. This is the only time we will meet this form in this book. [12]


1798

bitter

辣

Spicy . . . bundle. [14]


1799

quick

速

Bundle . . . road. [10]


1800

organize

整

Bundle . . . taskmaster . . . correct. [16] Awl . . . saber.


*

awl



We include this element here because of its visible similarity to the element for bundle. Be sure to make a distinct image out of its composite ingredients: meeting . . . mouth . . . person. The stroke order follows the order of the elements exactly, but note how the person runs through the mouth. [8]

繖 繙 繚 繝


1801

saber

剣

As we promised way back in frame 87, here at last is the kanji on which the primitive element of the same name is based. [10]


1802

precipitous

険

Pinnacle . . . awl. [11]


1803

examination

検

Tree . . . awl. [12]


1804

frugal

倹

Person . . . awl. [10]


1805

heavy

重

Thousand . . . ri. Note how the long vertical stroke doubles up to serve both elements. [9]

祥 票 祭 祷 祺 祿 禀 禁 禄


1806

move

動

Heavy . . . muscle. [11]


1807

tumor

腫

Flesh . . . heavy. [13]


1808

meritorious deed

勲

Move . . . oven fire. So as not to confuse this kanji with the general character for merit (frame 1369), you may associate the key word with military decorations and medals of distinction, both of which it is used for. [15]


1809

work

働

Person . . . move. Do not confuse with labor (frame 924). [13]


1810

species

種

Wheat . . . heavy. [14]


1811

collide

衝

Boulevard . . . heavy. [15]


1812

fragrant

薫

Flowers . . . heavy . . . oven fire. Do not confuse with incense (frame 977) or perfumed (frame 532). [16]


Lesson 44

We may now pick up the remainder of the enclosure primitives, leaving only a few related to animals, which we will take up in Lesson 55. This lesson should give you a chance to review the general principles governing enclosures.

*

sickness

疒

The enclosure shown in this frame is composed of a cave with ice outside of it. It is used for a number of kanji related to sickness. If you want to picture a caveman nursing a hangover with an ice-pack, that should provide enough help to remember the shape of this element and its meaning. [5]

禅 禊 禍


1813

ill

病

Sickness . . . third class. [10]


1814

stupid

痴

Sickness . . . know. [13]


1815

pox

痘

Sickness . . . beans. [12]


1816

symptoms

症

Sickness . . . correct. [10]


1817

carbuncle

瘍

Sickness . . . piggy bank. [14]


1818

lose weight

痩

Sickness . . . monkey . . . crotch. [12]


1819

rapidly

疾

Be sure to keep this character distinct from quick (frame 1799) and swift (frame 298). Picture a succession of poison darts (the sort that inflict sickness) flying out rapid-fire from a blowgun, so that “rapid-fire” can conjure up the proper image. [10]


1820

envy

嫉

Woman . . . rapidly. [13]


1821

diarrhea

痢

Sickness . . . profit. [12]


1822

scar

痕

Sickness . . . silver. [11]


1823

tired

疲

Sickness . . . pelt. [10]


1824

epidemic

疫

Sickness . . . missile. [9]


1825

pain

痛

Sickness . . . chop-seal . . . screwdriver. [12]


1826

mannerism

癖

Sickness . . . ketchup. [18]


*

box

匚

This enclosure, open at the right, represents a box lying on its side. When it is not used as an enclosure, its form is cramped to look like this: . You may distinguish its meaning by picturing it then as a very small box. [2]

禎 福


1827

hide

匿

Box . . . young. [10]

禎 禔 禛


1828

artisan

匠

Box . . . ax. [6]


1829

doctor

医

Box . . . dart. [7]


1830

equal

匹

Box . . . human legs. [4]


1831

ward

区

The ward referred to here is a subdivision of a large city. Its elements: box . . . sheaves. When used as a primitive element, it may be helpful at times to break it up into these same composite elements. [4]


1832

hinge

枢

Tree . . . ward. [8]


1833

assault

殴

Ward . . . missile. [8]


1834

Europe

欧

Ward . . . yawn. Like the kanji of frame 1776, this character is an abbreviation of the name of a geographical region. [8]


1835

repress

抑

Fingers . . . box . . . stamps. [7]


1836

faceup

仰

This character is used both for lying on one’s back faceup, and for looking up to someone with respect and awe. Its elements: person . . . box . . . stamps. [6]


1837

welcome

迎

Box . . . stamps . . . road. [7]


*

teepee

癶

The dots at the top of this tent are the wooden poles protruding outside the canvas walls of a teepee. [5]

禝 禦 禧 禪 禮


1838

ascend

登

Teepee . . . table. Do not confuse with rise up (frame 43). [12]


1839

lucidity

澄

Water . . . ascend. [15]


1840

discharge

発

This key word refers to the discharging of guns, trains, people, and even words. The elements: teepee . . . two . . . human legs. Contrast the writing with frame 63. [9]


1841

abolish

廃

Cave . . . discharge. [12]


*

pup tent

尞

The St. Bernard dog and its overlapping with the element for teepee are enough to suggest the meaning of this primitive element: a pup tent. The combination of sun and little at the bottom can be seen as a little opening or flap through which the sun shines in the morning to let you know it’s time for getting up. [12]

禰 禳 禹 禺


1842

colleague

僚

Person . . . pup tent. Choose some connotation of the key word that will keep it distinct for you from companion (frame 19), friend (frame 760), consort (frame 1287), and comrade (frame 1765). [14]


1843

obvious

瞭

Eye . . . pup tent. [17]


1844

dormitory

寮

House . . . pup tent. [15]


1845

heal

療

Sickness . . . pup tent. [17]


Lesson 45

We come now to a class of elements loosely associated with shape and form. We then append what remains of elements having to do with color.

*

shape

彡

The three simple strokes of this element actually represent the form or shape of the hair of one’s beard. But we keep the simple sense of a shape, or its verb “to shape,” in order to avoid confusion later when we meet an element for hair. When using this element, be sure to visualize yourself shaping the thing in question, or better still, twisting it out of shape. [3]


1846

carve

彫

The two primitives here, circumference and shape, belong naturally to the special connotations that differentiate carving from engrave (see frame 1639). [11]


1847

shape

形

Two hands . . . shape. [7]


1848

shadow

影

Scenery . . . shape. [15]


1849

cedar

杉

Tree . . . shape. [7]


1850

coloring

彩

Vulture . . . tree . . . shape. [11]


1851

patent

彰

Badge . . . shape. The key word is synonymous with “clear” or “openly expressed.” [14]


1852

lad

彦

Vase . . . cliff . . . shape. [9]

禽 禾 禿


1853

face

顔

Lad . . . head. [18]


1854

ought

須

Shape . . . head. This is the only time that shape is placed to the left of its relative element, the head. [12]


1855

swell

膨

Part of the body . . . drum . . . shape. Compare expand (frame 1199). [16]


1856

visit

参

Elbow . . . St. Bernard dog . . . shape. [8]


1857

wretched

惨

A state of mind . . . visit. [11]


1858

discipline

修

Person . . . walking stick . . . taskmaster . . . shape. [10]


1859

rare

珍

Ball . . . umbrella . . . shape. [9]


1860

checkup

診

Words . . . umbrella . . . shape. The key word refers to a medical examination. [12]


1861

sentence

文

Under the familiar top hat we see a crisscross pattern or design, like that found on woodwork or garments. This should make an ugly enough image to help remember it. It can be associated with sentence by thinking of a sentence as a grammatical pattern. [4]

紳 紵 紹 紺

The primitive meaning for this character will be plaid, the familiar crisscross pattern frequently used in textiles.


1862

vis-à-vis

対

Plaid . . . glue. [7]


1863

family crest

紋

Thread . . . plaid. [10]


1864

mosquito

蚊

Insect . . . plaid. [10]


1865

speckled

斑

Ball . . . plaid . . . ball. [12]


*

fenceposts



This element means just what it looks like: two fenceposts. They enclose whatever comes between them, as distinct from a pair of walking sticks (see frame 265). [2]


1866

adjusted

斉

Plaid . . . fenceposts . . . two. Do not confuse with just so (frame 414). [8]


1867

dose

剤

Adjust . . . saber. Think of this as a dose of medicine. [10]


1868

finish

済

Water . . . adjust. Do not confuse with complete (frame 101), end (frame 1452), or perfect (frame 199). [11]


1869

purification

斎

Plaid . . . fenceposts . . . altar. This is a “religious” purification, which distinguishes it from the simple kanji for pure (frame 1659). [11]


1870

solemn

粛

Rake . . . rice . . . fenceposts. Take special care to draw this character in the same order as the primitive. Note, too, that the fourth stroke for rice is already taken care of by the fourth stroke of rake. [11]

秀 私 秉 秋


*

sparkler



As the pictograph itself immediately suggests, this element depicts spreading out or scattering from a focal point. To capture this meaning, we choose the image of a sparkler. It will often have another primitive put at its center point. [4]

科 秒 秕 秘


1871

bases

塁

The kanji of this frame refers to the four bases that are placed at the corners of a baseball infield. The elements: rice field . . . sparkler . . . ground. [12]


1872

music

楽

Dove . . . sparkler . . . tree. [13]


1873

medicine

薬

Flowers . . . music. [16]


1874

ratio

率

Mysterious . . . sparkler . . . ten. Do not confuse with proportion (frame 1673). [11]


1875

astringent

渋

Water . . . footprint . . . sparkler. [11]


1876

vicarious

摂

Fingers . . . ear . . . sparkler. Do not confuse with substitute (frame 1080). [13]


1877

center

央

The elements depict a St. Bernard with its head and paws keeping their stick-like form, but with the middle or center of its body filled out in a box-like shape. [5]


1878

England

英

Flowers . . . center. This is another abbreviation used to identify a country by the pronunciation of the kanji. [8]


1879

reflect

映

Sun . . . center. [9]


1880

red

赤

Ground . . . dagger . . . little. The two strokes of the dagger take the place of the middle stroke of little. [7]

租 秡 秣 秤

As a primitive on the left, this kanji keeps the same form. Elsewhere, the first two strokes are abbreviated to a single dot, giving us 亦. This latter form will take the meaning of an apple.


1881

pardon

赦

Red . . . taskmaster. [11]


1882

unusual

変

Apple . . . walking legs. [9]


1883

tracks

跡

Wooden leg . . . apple. [13]


1884

barbarian

蛮

Apple . . . insects. [12]


1885

romance

恋

Apple . . . heart. [10]


1886

gulf

湾

Water . . . apple . . . bow. [12]


1887

yellow

黄

Salad . . . sprout . . . animal legs. [11]


1888

sideways

横

Tree . . . yellow. [15]


*

mosaic

巴

This element is shaped roughly like the snake, but pay attention to the difference when writing it. [4]

秦 秧 秩 秬


1889

grasp

把

Fingers . . . mosaic. [7]


1890

color

色

Bound up . . . mosaic. [6]


1891

discontinue

絶

Thread . . . color. [12]


1892

glossy

艶

Bountiful . . . color. [19]


1893

fertilizer

肥

Flesh . . . mosaic. [8]


Lesson 46

A number of containers of various sorts can be gathered together here. Most of them have limited use as primitives, but none of them should cause any particular difficulty.

1894

sweet

甘

This kanji is a pictograph of a small wicker basket. (The extra short stroke in the middle helps keep it distinct from the character for twenty.) All one needs to add is some image of sweet cakes or breads carried in the basket, and the union of picture and meaning is complete. Take care not to confuse with confectionary (frame 1203). [5]

称 移 稀 稈 程

As a primitive, the pictograph’s meaning of a wicker basket is used, a small one like the kind used for picnics.


1895

navy blue

紺

Thread . . . wicker basket. [11]


1896

so-and-so

某

The key word here refers to the adjective for an unspecified person or thing. Its elements: wicker basket . . . tree. [9]


1897

conspire

謀

Words . . . so-and-so. [16]


1898

mediator

媒

Woman . . . so-and-so. [12]


*

bushel basket

其

As the two legs at the bottom suggest, this bushel basket is a large container, standing on the floor. Its first four strokes indicate that it is made of wicker, much like the small wicker basket introduced just above. To make room for something inside of the bushel basket, the legs at the bottom are attached to the final horizontal stroke and extended to make an enclosure. [8]

稍 税 稏 稐 稑 稒 稔


1899

deceit

欺

Bushel basket . . . yawn. [12]


1900

chess piece

棋

Tree . . . bushel basket. [12]


1901

national flag

旗

Banner . . . bushel basket. [14]


1902

period

期

Bushel basket . . . month. As the month indicates, this has to do with periods of time. [12]


1903

Go

碁

Bushel basket . . . stones. The key word refers to the Japanese game played with black and white colored stones on a lined board. [13]


1904

fundamentals

基

Bushel basket . . . soil. [11]


1905

tremendously

甚

Bushel basket . . . equal. Note how the first stroke of equal doubles up with the sixth stroke of the bushel basket, and how the animal legs of the bushel basket are dropped to make room for the human legs of equal. [9]


1906

intuition

勘

Tremendously . . . muscle. [11]


1907

withstand

堪

Soil . . . tremendously. [12]


*

purse



By adding a single stroke at the bottom of the kanji for in, we get a sort of pictograph of a purse. [5]


1908

precious

貴

Purse . . . shells. [12]


1909

bequeath

遺

Precious . . . road. [15]


1910

dispatch

遣

This kanji takes away the maestro’s baton and replaces it with a purse. The road represents his being dispatched on his way as an obvious misfit. You will remember that when he did have his baton, he was being chased down the road by his fans. All of which shows what a difference a single stroke can make! [13]


1911

defile

潰

Water . . . precious. [15]


1912

dance

舞

The top two strokes show someone reclining, and the next six are a pictograph of an oaken tub ribbed with metal strips, like the kind once used for bathing. At the bottom, the sunglasses round off the character. [15]

稗 稘 稙 稚 稜


1913

nothingness

無

This character is the Japanese character for the supreme philosophical principle of much Oriental thought: nothingness. Make use of the oaken tub from the previous frame, and add to that the oven fire at the bottom. [12]


Lesson 47

The several primitives we turn to next are all related to the position and disposition of things. The classification is somewhat arbitrary since we are getting hard pressed to organize the leftover primitives into tidy categories. In addition, from this lesson on, most references to key words with possibly confusing similarities will be omitted. Try to think of them yourself as you are going through these characters.

*

shelf

且

The pictographic representation in the primitive shown here is a small stand with horizontal shelves. Thus we give it the general meaning of a shelf. It differs from the kanji and primitive for an eye only in its final stroke, which extends beyond the two vertical strokes at both ends. Think of it as a shelf for special keepsakes or a glass bureau for knickknacks, keeping it distinct from the kanji we learned in frame 214. [5]


1914

association

組

Thread . . . shelf. [11]


1915

coarse

粗

Rice . . . shelf. [11]


1916

tariff

租

Wheat . . . shelf. [10]


1917

aim at

狙

Pack of wild dogs . . . shelf. [8]


1918

ancestor

祖

Altar . . . shelf. [9]


1919

thwart

阻

Pinnacle . . . shelf. [8]


1920

investigate

査

Tree . . . shelf. [9]


1921

help

助

Shelf . . . muscle. The reason why the shelf appears on the left here is that the right side is the normal position for muscle, the stronger primitive. Indeed, the only exception in all the kanji is the character for add (frame 932). [7]


1922

best regards

宜

This kanji is a polite way of expressing one’s best regards to another. Its elements: house . . . shelf. [8]


1923

tatami mat

畳

Rice field . . . crown . . . shelf. [12]


1924

row

並

This character represents a slightly stylized duplication of the kanji for stand up. By lengthening the sixth and seventh strokes, you will see how this is done. [8]

稟 稠 種 稱 稲 稷 稻 稼

The primitive meaning remains the same as that of the kanji, but special attention has to be given to the varieties of shape this element can undergo. It is the most difficult one you will meet in this book. When it appears beneath its relative primitive, the top three strokes are omitted, though the third horizontal stroke may be doubled up with the bottom horizontal stroke of the element above it: . atop its relative primitive, it can keep its kanji shape. When it does not, the top three strokes are removed and all of them are replaced below the primitive’s bottom line: . We shall acknowledge this latter transformation by changing its meaning to upside down in a row.


1925

universal

普

Row . . . sun. [12]


1926

musical score

譜

Words . . . universal. [19]


1927

damp

湿

Water . . . sun . . . row. [12]


1928

appear

顕

Sun . . . row . . . heads. [18]


1929

slender

繊

Thread . . . Thanksgiving . . . row. [17]


1930

spirits

霊

Rain . . . two . . . row. This character will refer only to the inhabitants of the “spirit world,” and not to moods or temperaments, for which we will learn another character in frame 2030. [15]


1931

profession

業

In a row upside down . . . not yet. [13]

答 策 筝


1932

slap

撲

Fingers . . . upside down in a row . . . husbands. [15]


1933

me

僕

This key word is yet another synonym for “I,” somewhat more familiar in tone. As a rule, it is a word that boys and men use to refer to themselves. Its elements: person . . . husbands . . . in a row upside down. [14]


1934

together

共

Salad . . . animal legs. [6]

The primitive retains the meaning of together. Imagine things strung together like fish on a line, beads on a thread, or whatever. The main thing is to avoid putting them in a straight row, which would confound this element with the previous one. As we saw with bushel basket, this primitive can join its legs to the final horizontal stroke and stretch them to form an enclosure.


1935

submit

供

Submit here is a transitive verb, meaning to offer or present. Its elements: person . . . strung together. [8]


1936

uncommon

異

Brains . . . together. [11]


1937

wing

翼

Feathers . . . uncommon. [17]


1938

accept humbly

戴

Thanksgiving . . . uncommon. [17]


1939

deluge

洪

Water . . . strung together. [9]


1940

harbor

港

Deluge . . . snakes. [12]


1941

outburst

暴

Sun . . . strung together . . . grains of rice. [15]


1942

bomb

爆

Fire . . . outburst. [19]


1943

respect

恭

Strung together . . . valentine. [10]


1944

elect

選

Two snakes . . . strung together . . . road. [15]


1945

Mr.

殿

Flags . . . strung together . . . missile. [13]


Lesson 48

This next lesson is composed of characters whose primitives are grouped according to shape rather than meaning. Each of them makes use, in one way or another, of squares and crossing lines. While this might have brought confusion earlier, we know enough primitives at this stage to introduce them together without risking any confusion.

1946

well

井

Recalling that there are no circular strokes, and that the shape of the square and the square within a square (frame 630) have already been used, it should be relatively easy to see how this character can be consider a pictograph of a well. [4]

繞 繦 繧 繩


1947

donburi

丼

Donburi is a bowl of rice with eel or meat on it. The character is a pictograph, perhaps designed by someone who felt that the portion of meat he was served with his bowl of rice looked to be no more than a tiny drop in a well. [5]


1948

surround

囲

Well . . . pent in. [7]


1949

till

耕

Christmas tree . . . well. [10]


1950

Asia

亜

In this kanji, the abbreviation for Asia, you should be able to see the character for mouth behind the Roman numeral ii. [7]

繪 繭 繰 繹


1951

bad

悪

Asia . . . heart. [11]


1952

circle

円

This kanji, also used for Yen, is one you are not likely to need to study formally, since you can hardly get around in Japan without it. The connection is that the yennies, like pennies, are circular in shape. In any case, the elements are: glass canopy . . . walking stick . . . one. [4]

稽 稾 稿 穀


1953

angle

角

Bound up . . . glass canopy . . . walking stick . . . two. If you write the character once, you will see why we avoided using the element for soil, which would prompt you to write it in improper order. [7]

穂 穃 穆 穉

As a primitive, imagine the tool used by draftsmen and carpenters to draw right-angles.


1954

contact

触

Angle . . . insect. [13]


1955

unravel

解

Angle . . . dagger . . . cow. [13]


1956

again

再

Ball . . . with a belt hung on it. Note how the belt is drawn right after the first stroke of ball. [10]

積 穎 穏 穐 穗


*

funnel

冓

Celery . . . again. [10]

穡 穢 穣 穩 穫


1957

lecture

講

Words . . . funnel. [17]


1958

subscription

購

Shells . . . funnel. The key word is meant to suggest magazine subscriptions and the like. [17]


1959

posture

構

Tree . . . funnel. [14]


1960

gutter

溝

Water . . . funnel. [13]


*

scrapbook



Glass canopy . . . flower. It is most rare to see the flower come under its relative element. Note how it is straightened out to fill the space available. [5]

穰 穴 究 穹 空


1961

argument

論

Words . . . meeting . . . scrapbook. The argument here is a process of academic reasoning, not a personal quarrel or spat. [15]


1962

ethics

倫

Person . . . meeting . . . scrapbook. [10]


1963

wheel

輪

Car . . . meeting . . . scrapbook. [15]


1964

partial

偏

Person . . . door . . . scrapbook. The sense of the key word is that of having a bias or preference for someone or something. [11]


1965

everywhere

遍

Door . . . scrapbook . . . a road. [12]


1966

compilation

編

Thread . . . door . . . scrapbook. [15]


1967

tome

冊

This key word is a counter for books. It differs from scrapbook both in the writing order and in the extension of the second horizontal stroke. [5]

穽 穿 突


1968

palisade

柵

Tree . . . tome. [9]


1969

code

典

We introduce this character here because of its connection to the book-related kanji treated above. It is based on the character for bend (frame 1256), whose last stroke is lengthened to coincide with the first stroke of the element for tool. [8]


Lesson 49

A few primitives having to do with groupings and classifications of people remain to be learned, and we may bring them all together here in this short lesson.

1970

family name

氏

Pay close attention to the stroke order of the elements when learning to write this character. The elements: eyedropper . . . fishhook . . . a one . . . fishhook. [4]


1971

paper

紙

Thread . . . family name. [10]


1972

marriage

婚

Woman . . . family name . . . day. [11]


*

calling card

氐

Family name . . . floor. [5]

窃 窄 窈 窒


1973

lower

低

Person . . . calling card. [7]


1974

resist

抵

Fingers . . . calling card. [8]


1975

bottom

底

Cave . . . calling card. [8]


1976

people

民

In place of the drop at the start of the character for family name, we have a mouth, which makes you think of the “vox populi.” [5]

窓 窕 窖 窗 窘


1977

sleep

眠

Eyes . . . people. [10]


*

dog tag

甫

This primitive refers to all sorts of identification tags, but dog tag is chosen for its descriptiveness. On the top we see the arrowhead, joined to the screwdriver below by the lengthened vertical stroke. [7]

窟 窩 窪 窮 窯


1978

catch

捕

Fingers . . . dog tag. [10]


1979

suckle

哺

Mouth . . . dog tag. [10]


1980

bay

浦

Water . . . dog tag. [10]


1981

bullrush

蒲

Flowers . . . bay. [13]


1982

shop

舗

Cottage . . . dog tag. The key word refers to the noun, not the verb. [15]


1983

supplement

補

Cloak . . . dog tag. [12]


*

city walls

阝

On the left, and rather more pressed in its form, this element meant the high spot of a village, or its pinnacle. On the right side, in the form shown here, it means the lowest part of the city, around which its walls rise up as a protection against invaders. Hence we nickname this element: city walls. [3]


1984

residence

邸

Calling card . . . city walls. [8]


1985

enclosure

郭

Receive . . . city walls. [11]


1986

county

郡

Old boy . . . city walls. [10]


1987

outskirts

郊

Mingle . . . city walls. [9]


1988

section

部

Muzzle . . . city walls. [11]


1989

metropolis

都

Puppet . . . city walls. [11]


1990

mail

郵

Droop . . . city walls. [11]


1991

home country

邦

Bushes . . . city walls. [7]


1992

interrogative

那

Sword . . . two . . . city walls. Used classically to indicate an interrogative part of speech, this character is used chiefly now for its sound. [7]


1993

hometown

郷

Cocoon . . . silver . . . city walls. [11]


1994

echo

響

Hometown . . . sound. [20]


1995

son

郎

Halo . . . city walls. [9]


1996

corridor

廊

Cave . . . son. [12]


Lesson 50

In this lesson we simply present an assortment of leftover primitives that were not introduced earlier for want of a proper category or because we had not enough elements to give sufficient examples of their use.

*

drag



Although not a pictograph in the strict sense, this primitive depicts one stroke pulling another along behind it. Note how it differs from cliff and person because of this dragging effect, not to mention the fact that the first stroke is written right to left, almost as if it were a long drop. When this element comes under a different element, the strokes are drawn apart like this: . [2]

窰 窶


1997

shield

盾

Dragging . . . ten eyes. [9]


1998

sequential

循

Line . . . shield. [12]


1999

faction

派

Water . . . drag . . . rag. Back in frame 1127 we indicated that this latter primitive would come up once again, as it does in this and the following two frames. [9]


2000

vein

脈

Part of body . . . drag . . . rag. [10]


2001

masses

衆

Blood . . . drag . . . rag. [12]


2002

parcel post

逓

Drag . . . cornstalk . . . belt . . . road. [10]


2003

grade

段

The kanji connoting rank or class shows us a new element on the left: the familiar primitive for staples with an additional stroke cutting through the vertical stroke. It is easiest in these cases to make a primitive related to what we already know. Hence, we call it a staple gun. To the right, missile. [9]

窺 窿 竃 竄 竅 竇 竈 竊 立


2004

forge

鍛

Drag . . . one . . . mouth. [6]


2005

empress

后


*

clothes hanger



This element, which looks something like a backwards hook, we will call a clothes hanger. Used as an enclosure, it begins further to the left. [1]

並


2006

phantasm

幻

Cocoon . . . clothes hanger. [4]


2007

director

司

Clothes hanger . . . one . . . mouth. [5]


2008

pay respects

伺

This honorific form of call on (frame 534) is made up of: person . . . director. [7]


2009

parts of speech

詞

The key word, parts of speech, refers to nouns, verbs, adjective, adverbs, and so on. The elements: words . . . directors. [12]


2010

domesticate

飼

Eat . . . director. The sense is of rearing of animals. [13]


2011

heir

嗣

Mouth . . . scrapbook . . . director. [13]


2012

boat

舟

After the drop and the glass canopy, we come to a combination of three strokes that we met only once before, in the character for mama (frame 105). The pictographic meaning we gave it there has no etymological relationship to this character, but use it if it helps. [6]

竍 竏 竑 竒 竓 竕


2013

liner

舶

The type of boat connoted by this key word is a large oceangoing liner. The important thing here is to work with the elements boat and dove to make an image distinct from that of the former frame. Don’t count on size alone to distinguish the boat from the liner. [11]


2014

navigate

航

Boat . . . whirlwind. [10]


2015

gunwale

舷

Boat . . . mysterious. [11]


2016

carrier

般

Boat . . . missile. [10]


2017

tray

盤

Carrier . . . dish. [15]


2018

conveyor

搬

Fingers . . . carrier. [13]


2019

ship

船

Boat . . . gully. [11]


2020

warship

艦

Boat . . . oversee. [21]


2021

rowboat

艇

Boat . . . courts. [13]


2022

melon

瓜

The only thing that distinguishes this from the claw is the elbow, made by doubling up the third stroke and adding a fourth. [5]

站 竚 竝 竟 章


2023

arc

弧

Bow . . . melon. [8]


2024

orphan

孤

Child . . . melon. [8]


Lesson 51

As we said we would do back in Lesson 28, we now leave the beaten path to gather up those characters left aside because they form exceptions to the rules and patterns we have been learning. The list is not large and has a number of repeating patterns. Aside from the few others we shall interpose in the next section where they belong, and three characters appended at the very end, this will complete our collection of special characters. This is probably the most difficult lesson of the book.

2025

cocoon

繭

Though it’s a good thing that the primitive for cocoon has been radically abbreviated from this, its full form as a kanji, the story it holds is a charming one. The silkworm (insect) eats the leaves of the mulberry bush (the flowers), digests them and transforms them into thread with which it spins about itself, in mystic wisdom, its own coffin (the hood). The dividing line that separates the two elements helps the picture of the little worm cutting itself off from contact with the outside world, but as a character stroke, it is a clear exception. [18]

竡 竢 竣 童 竦


2026

benefit

益

Poised over the dish is a pair of animal horns that are attached to a pair of animal legs by a single horizontal stroke. [10]

竧 竪 竫


2027

spare time

暇

The element for day on the left is logical enough. Next to it we see staples being held in a mouth (one stroke is doubled up), indicating working on one’s hobby or handicrafts at home in one’s spare time. The small box at the top right is facing backwards, or more properly “inside out.” Finally, we have the crotch at the bottom. [13]

竭 端 竰 競 竸


2028

spread

敷

At the top we have the arrowhead whose vertical line joins it to the rice field (or brains) below it. Beneath it, the compass; and to the right, the taskmaster. [15]

竹 竺 竿


2029

come

来

This odd but common kanji is built up of the character for not yet into which a pair of animal horns has been inserted. [7]

笂 笄 笆 笈 笊 笋 笏


2030

spirit

気

The spirit in this character refers to the changeable moods and airs of one’s personality as well as to the more essential combination of vital forces that distinguish things and individuals one from the other. Its elements are: reclining . . . floor . . . hook . . . sheaf. Do not confuse with spirits (frame 1930). [6]


2031

vapor

汽

Think of this character as a sibling of that for spirit. Simply replace sheaves with drops of water on the left in order to get vapor. [7]


2032

fly

飛

The two large hooks have little propellers (the two drops on each hook) attached to them for flying. Beneath is the measuring box, which serves as the body of this flying contraption. The stroke order will cause some problems, so take care with it. [9]

笑 笘 笙 笛 笞 笠 笥 符 笨


2033

sink

沈

The technique for sinking used in this kanji is unique. Rather than the biblical image of tying a millstone about the victim’s neck, here we see a crown tied about one leg before the unfortunate party is tossed into the water. [7]


2034

pillow

枕

Tree . . . crown tied around one leg of a person. [8]


2035

wife

妻

Ten . . . rakes . . . woman. [8]

第 笳 笵 笶 笹 筅


2036

nifty

凄

Ice . . . wife. [10]


2037

decline

衰

Let this key word connote the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. It shows a fellow in a top hat and scarf, trying hard to look happy by putting a walking stick in his mouth sideways to twist his face into a grotesque but semipermanent smile. [10]

筆 筈 等 筋 筌 筍 筒


2038

inmost

衷

Between the top hat and the scarf you will see the character for in which is truncated at the bottom so as not to interfere with the scarf. You can think of this character as forming a pair with the one just learned in the last frame: there the in (the walking stick in the mouth) was set on its side; in this character it is set upright. [10]

椥 椦 椨 椪 椰 椴 椶


2039

mask

面

Imagine a mask over your head with eyes peeping out from all over the head, a hundred in all (the element for eye displacing the fifth stroke of that for hundred). [9]

筥 筧 筬 筮 筰 筱 筴 筵 筺


2040

noodles

麺

Barley . . . mask. [16]


2041

leather

革

After the flowers at the top (painted on the leather for decoration), we see the element for car with the middle stroke left out. Think of the seats having been taken out so that they can be reupholstered with this decorated leather. [9]

箆 箇 箋 箍 箏 箒 箔 箕 算


2042

shoes

靴

Leather . . . change. [13]


2043

hegemony

覇

Old West . . . leather . . . moon. [19]


2044

voice

声

The samurai at the top is familiar enough. The combination beneath, which looks like a flag with a line running through it, is not. Try to devise some way to take note of it, and pay attention to the writing. [7]

箘 箙 箚 箜 箝


2045

eyebrow

眉

The flag here has an extra vertical stroke in it. Think of it as an eyebrow pencil stuck in the eye. [9]


2046

give

呉

The complex of strokes in this kanji is unusual and difficult, because of the fourth stroke, which is rare (see frames 33 and 34). The mouth and tool are already familiar. [7]

箞 箟 管


2047

recreation

娯

Woman . . . give. [10]


2048

mistake

誤

Words . . . give. [14]


2049

steam

蒸

The flower at the top and the floor with the oven fire beneath are familiar. The problem is what comes in between. It is formed by the character for complete, whose vertical stroke doubles up as the first stroke of water. [13]

箪 箭 箱 箴 箸


2050

acquiesce

承

The sense of passive acceptance or reception of information is contained in this key word. The form is based on the middle portion of the preceding character, with three additional strokes, best thought of as the kanji for three. [8]

節 篁 範 篆 篇 築 篋 篌


2051

bin

函

This is the character from which the element for shovel derives. Within it comes the element for snare, with the sparkler surrounding it. [8]

篏 篝 篠 篤 篥 篦 篩 篭


2052

poles

極

The poles this key word refers to are the extremities of the earth or the terminals of an electric field. The elements are: tree . . . snare . . . mouth . . . crotch . . . floor. [12]

篳 篶 篷 簀 簇 簍 簑 簒


Lesson 52

The final grouping of kanji revolves about elements related to animals. It is a rather large group, and will take us all of four lessons to complete. We begin with a few recurring elements related to parts of animal bodies.

2053

tusk

牙

f you play with this primitive’s form with pencil and paper, you will see that it begins with a box-like shape, and ends with the final two strokes of the halberd, a convenient combination for the tusk protruding from the mouth of an animal. [4]

纈 纉 纊 續

Since this kanji has 4 strokes, you would expect that as a primitive it would also have 4—but in fact it has 5 in the following two frames (the second stroke between divided into 2 strokes) and reverts to 4 again in frame 2056.


2054

bud

芽

Flowers . . . tusk. [8]


2055

wicked

邪

Tusk . . . city walls. [8]


2056

gracious

雅

Tusk . . . an old turkey. [12]


*

animal tracks

釆

Having already met the primitive for human footprints, we now introduce the one for animal tracks. Its elements are simply: a drop of . . . rice. [7]


2057

interpretation

釈

Animal tracks . . . shakuhachi. [11]


2058

turn

番

This key word has been chosen for its overlay of several meanings similar to those of the kanji: a turn of duty, a round, a number, and so forth. Its composite elements: animal tracks . . . rice field. [12]

As a primitive element, we choose the image of a pair of dice which it is your turn to throw.


2059

hearing

審

The hearing referred to in this character relates to trials in the courts. The elements: house . . . dice. [15]


2060

flip

翻

Dice . . . feathers. [18]


2061

clan

藩

Flowers . . . water . . . dice. [18]


2062

fur

毛

This character simply reverses the direction of the final stroke of hand to produce fur. If you reverse your hand and put its palm down, you will have the side on which fur grows. [4]

簔 簗 簟 簡


2063

decrease

耗

Christmas tree . . . fur. [10]


2064

tail

尾

Flag . . . fur. [7]


*

lock of hair



Having already met the primitive for human footprints, we now introduce the one for animal tracks. Its elements are simply: a drop of . . . rice. [7]


2065

home

宅

House . . . lock of hair. [6]


2066

consign

託

Words . . . lock of hair. [10]


*

tail feathers



So as not to confuse this primitive element with the character for feathers, think of the extravagant tail-feather plumage of the peacock. The form itself is too pictographic to need breaking down further. [5]

簣 簧


2067

do

為

This character rightly belongs to the previous lesson, but we held it until now because of the final element, the tail feathers. After the drop at the outset, the next three strokes are completely novel and should be given special attention. [9]

簪 簫 簷 簸 粥 簽


2068

falsehood

偽

Person . . . do. [11]


*

hairpin



Here we have a quasi-pictograph of the colorful and decorated clips used to bind up long hair. Note its similarity to the scarf, which differs only by the addition of one stroke. [4]

簾 簿 籀 籃


2069

apprehensive

畏

Rice field . . . hairpin. [9]


2070

long

長

In line with the story of the preceding frame, the hair that needs the hairpin is long. [8]

耿 聆 聊 聒 聖 聘 聚 聞

The primitive of this kanji has two more shapes in addition to that of the kanji itself. It is often abbreviated to the form  and will mean hair. Further abbreviated to , it will mean the long, mangy mane of an animal.


2071

lengthen

張

Bow . . . long. [11]


2072

notebook

帳

Towel . . . long. [11]


2073

dilate

脹

Flesh . . . long. [12]


2074

hair of the head

髪

Hair . . . shape . . . friend. [14]


2075

unfold

展

Flag . . . salad . . . hairpin. [10]


2076

miss

喪

Soil . . . two mouths . . . hairpin. Hint: see spit (frame 162). The key word carries the wide range of meanings readily associated with it: error, loss, absence, and so on. [12]

駅 駆 駇 駈 駐 駑


Lesson 53

We turn now to the animals themselves, beginning with the smaller animals. Because of the fair number of limited-use primitives, this lesson will supply a larger than normal number of stories in complete or semi-complete form.

*

owl



We have met these three strokes before. When they come under another stroke, they represent a claw, and thence a vulture. And when placed atop a roof structure, they create a schoolhouse. The owl has something to do with both: it is a bird of prey, and it has come to be associated with learning. [3]


2077

nest

巣

Owl . . . fruit. [11]


2078

simple

単

Owl . . . brain . . . needle. The sense is “not complex.” [9]

籌 籍 籏 籐 籔 籖


2079

war

戦

Simple . . . fiesta. [13]


2080

Zen

禅

Altar . . . simple. [13]


2081

bullet

弾

Bow . . . simple. [12]


2082

cherry tree

桜

Tree . . . owl . . . woman. [10]


2083

animal

獣

Owl . . . rice field . . . one . . . mouth . . . chihuahua. [16]


2084

brain

脳

Part of the body . . . owl . . . villain. By way of exception, the kanji for brain has no connection with the primitive for brains. [11]


2085

trouble

悩

State of mind . . . owl . . . villain. [10]


2086

stern

厳

Owl . . . cliff . . . daring. [17]


2087

chain

鎖

Metal . . . little . . . shells. We have saved this character until now in order to draw attention to the visual difference between the owl and little. By now your eyes should be so accustomed to these apparently infinitesimal differences that the point is obvious. [18]


2088

raise

挙

Owl . . . tool . . . hand. [10]


2089

reputation

誉

Owl . . . tool . . . saying. [13]


2090

game hunting

猟

Pack of wild dogs . . . owl . . . wind . . . cornstalk. [11]


2091

bird

鳥

Dove . . . one . . . tail feathers. This is, of course, the character from which we derived the primitive meaning of dove. Note the lengthening of the second stroke. [11]

籘 籟 籠 籤 籥


2092

chirp

鳴

Mouth . . . bird. [14]


2093

crane

鶴

Turkey house . . . bird. The first element appears on only one other occasion, back in frame 609. [21]


2094

crow

烏

The only thing that distinguishes this character from that for bird is the omission of the one stroke that makes it white. Which is logical enough, when you consider that there are no crows of that color. [10]


2095

vine

蔦

Flower . . . bird. [14]


2096

pigeon

鳩

Baseball . . . bird. [13]


2097

chicken

鶏

Vulture . . . husband . . . bird. [19]


2098

island

島

The bird’s tail is tucked under here, because it has come to stop on a mountain to rest from its journey across the waters. Thus the kanji comes to mean an island. [10]


*

migrating ducks



This primitive is simplicity itself. It depicts bird claws that are joined to one another. Note the extra horizontal stroke in friendship, which gives the appearance of a “two” in the middle of the kanji, further emphasizing the togetherness of the migrating ducks. [9]

籬 米 籵 籾


2099

warmth

暖

Unlike the connotation of warm weather learned for an earlier key word, (frame 1560), this key word will be used to refer to the warmth of human congeniality. Its elements are: sun . . . migrating ducks. [13]


2100

beautiful woman

媛

Woman . . . migrating ducks. [12]


2101

abet

援

Fingers . . . migrating ducks. [12]


2102

slacken

緩

Thread . . . migrating ducks. [15]


2103

belong

属

Flag . . . gnats (see frame 563) . . . with a belt. [12]

粁 粂 粃 粉 粋


2104

entrust

嘱

Mouth . . . belong. [15]


2105

accidentally

偶

The person on the left is familiar. As for the right side, we may combine the insect with a brain (observe the writing) and a belt to create the Talking Cricket who served as Pinocchio’s conscience. (The belt is there because he pulls it off to give unrepentant little Pinocchio a bit of “strap” now and again.) [11]

粍 粐 粒 粕 粗


2106

interview

遇

Talking Cricket . . . road. [12]


2107

foolish

愚

Talking Cricket . . . heart. [13]


2108

corner

隅

Pinnacle . . . Talking Cricket. [12]


*

mountain goat



The animal horns and mountain unite, quite naturally, to give us a mountain goat. The extension of the final stroke indicates its tail, which only shows up when it has something under it. In an overhead enclosure, it is to be pictured as standing still, so that its tail droops down and out of sight. [6]

粘 粛 粞


2109

inverted

逆

Mountain goat . . . road. [9]


2110

model

塑

This kanji depicts the art of modeling clay or wood into a figure of your choice. The elements for composing it are: mountain goat . . . moon . . . soil. [13]


2111

go upstream

遡

Mountain goat . . . moon . . . road. [13]


2112

Mount

岡

Here we see a mountain goat “mounted” under a glass canopy. In this and the following frames, think of a particular Mount you know. [8]


2113

steel

鋼

Metal . . . Mount. [16]


2114

hawser

綱

Thread . . . Mount. [14]


2115

sturdy

剛

Mount . . . saber. [10]


2116

tin can

缶

Though the meaning has no reference to animals, the parts do: horse with a mountain underneath. [6]


2117

pottery

陶

Pinnacle . . . bound up . . . tin can. [11]


*

condor



Vulture . . . king . . . mountain. By now you should be used to finding two elements double up on a stroke, as is the case here with king and mountain. [9]

粡 粢 粤


2118

swing

揺

Fingers . . . condor. [12]


2119

Noh chanting

謡

Words . . . condor. [16]


2120

gloom

鬱

Learning this character will take a little doing. Before we start, it is a good idea to keep the key word distinct from melancholy (frame 663), with which it combines to create the psychological condition of depression (a metaphor based on the hollow or sinking of the material depression we met in frame 1421).

The picture of gloom begins with a small grove of trees, under which we see a crown made out of used tin cans. Next (the lower half of the kanji) we find a combination that appears only a few times in modern characters and only once in those treated in the volumes of Remembering the Kanji. It is composed of a shovel with a sheaf dotted with small drops on all sides. Think of it as the large scoop shovel attached to the front of a bulldozer, whose driver is singing: M “Bulldozing in the sheaves, bulldozing in the sheaves…” N The drops represent the chaff flying about as the sheaves are tossed about by the heavy machinery.

There is someone sitting on the ground alongside, watching as the machinery makes its way around the neighboring farmland—and it’s you, wearing your tin-can crown. You feel overwhelmed by the impending doom as the invasion of agro-business draws closer and closer to the grove, the only patch of woods that remains of what once was a vast forest. The whole scene represents a re-shaping of the natural environment that brings the heavy weight of gloom down upon you.

A bit much, perhaps, but there are enough elements to allow for any number of other combinations. [29]

鰍 鰐 鰒 鰓 鰔 鰕 鰛 鰡 鰤 鰥 鰭 鰮


2121

concerning

就

Capital . . . chihuahua with a human leg in place of one of its paws. [12]


2122

kick

蹴

Wooden leg . . . concerning. [19]


*

skunk

豸

This primitive represents a skunk by combining the claw with the first part of the element for a sow. Note how the final stroke of claw is turned and lengthened to double up with the first stroke of the sow. [7]

纛 纜 缶 缸 缺 罅 罇


2123

sociable

懇

Skunk . . . silver . . . heart. [17]


2124

groundbreaking

墾

The groundbreaking referred to here is not for the erection of new buildings but for the opening of farmlands. The elements: skunk . . . silver . . . soil. [16]


2125

countenance

貌

Skunk . . . white . . . human legs. [14]


2126

excuse

免

This character is used for excusing oneself for a failure of courtesy. The elements are: bound up . . . sun (oddly enough, laid on its side) . . . human legs. [8]

粧 粨 粫 粭 粮 粱 粲 粳

For the primitive meaning, we shall refer to this character as a rabbit, for which the old form of the character is 兔.


2127

elude

逸

Rabbit . . . road. [11]


2128

nightfall

晩

Sun . . . rabbit. [12]


2129

exertion

勉

Rabbit . . . muscle. Notice how the last stroke of rabbit is stretched out to underlie the element for muscle. [10]


2130

elephant

象

A rabbit’s head with the body of a sow represents an elephant. Little wonder that the kanji also means “phenomenon”! [12]


2131

statue

像

Person . . . elephant. [14]


Lesson 54

Now that we have come as far as the elephant, we may continue on with more of the larger animals. Fortunately, this group will cause us much less of a headache than the preceding series, since there are fewer new primitives and their use is more frequent.

2132

horse

馬

Let the extra vertical stroke in the mane combine with the first vertical stroke to give an image of the horse’s long neck. The only odd thing is the tail feathers at the end, but that should present a good image to remember the character by. The fact that the last stroke of mane and the first of tail feathers coincide should no longer surprise you. [10]

粹 粽 精 糀 糂 糅 糊 糎 糒 糖

As a primitive, this kanji will mean a team of horses as distinct from the single horse whose primitive we met earlier.


2133

pony

駒

Team of horses . . . phrase. In American slang, a pony is an underground translation of a classical text, which students who cannot manage the difficult phrases of the original language consult and pass on from one generation to the next. [15]


2134

verification

験

Team of horses . . . awl. [18]


2135

equestrian

騎

Team of horses . . . strange. [18]


2136

parking

駐

Team of horses . . . candlestick. [15]


2137

drive

駆

Team of horses . . . ward. [14]


2138

station

駅

Team of horses . . . shakuhachi. [14]


2139

boisterous

騒

Team of horses . . . crotch . . . insect. [18]


2140

burdensome

駄

Team of horses . . . plump. [14]


2141

wonder

驚

Awe . . . team of horses. [22]


2142

fervent

篤

Bamboo . . . team of horses. [16]


2143

insult

罵

Eyeball . . . team of horses. [15]


2144

inflation

騰

Flesh . . . quarter . . . team of horses. [20]


2145

tiger

虎

The kanji in this frame recalls the famous Bengali fable about the group of magicians (the magic wand) who decided to make a tiger. It seems that each of them knew how to make one part of the beast, so they pooled their talents and brought all the pieces (diced into pieces) together, at which point the fabricated tiger promptly ate its makers up (the bodiless human legs). Whatever the parable’s significance for modern civilization and its arsenals, it should help with this kanji.

Oh yes, we should not forget that cliff-like element. Think of it as an abbreviation of the primitive for zoo (the first and fourth strokes, actually), in order to fit the tiger somewhere into the picture. In fact, the abbreviation is perfectly logical, since the bottom elements usurp the room for the rest of the primitive for zoo. [8]

糘 糜 糞 糟 糠 糢 糧 糯

As a primitive element itself, the human legs are also swallowed up, but the meaning of tiger is kept, and the whole serves as a roof for what comes beneath, , giving the tiger something else to eat.


2146

captive

虜

Tiger . . . man. [13]


2147

skin

膚

Tiger . . . stomach. [15]


2148

void

虚

Tigers . . . row. [11]


2149

frolic

戯

Void . . . fiesta. [15]


2150

uneasiness

虞

Tiger . . . give. [13]


2151

prudence

慮

Tiger . . . think. [15]


2152

drama

劇

Tiger . . . sow . . . saber. [15]


2153

tyrannize

虐

Tiger . . . box with a one in it (or a backwards broom, if that makes it easier). [9]


2154

deer

鹿

Drawn on the walls of a complex of caves near Niaux in southern France are a number of animal likenesses dating from the Upper Paleolithic period. Among them we find pictures of deer, some of them showing men in deer masks. By comparing their drawings to real deer, Stone Age people hoped to acquire power over the animal in the hunt; and by comparing themselves to the deer, to take on that animal’s characteristics. But time has locked with a “double-key” (the extra stroke through the element for key) the real secret of this art form from us, and we can only surmise such meanings. But more important than the enigmas of the troglodytic mind is the way in which caves, a double-key, and comparing gives us the kanji for deer. [11]

糲 糴 糵 糶 糸 糺

As a primitive, this kanji is abbreviated much the same as the tiger was: the lower element is dropped to leave room for a replacement: . Its meaning, however, remains the same. There are a very few cases (see frame 2158) in which there is no abbreviation. When this happens, we may keep the image suggested by the above explanation: painting of a deer.


2155

foot of a mountain

麓

Grove . . . deer. [19]


2156

recommend

薦

Flowers . . . deer . . . one . . . tail feathers. Note the doubling up in these last two elements as in frame 2091. [16]


2157

jubilation

慶

Deer . . . crown (note the doubling up) . . . heart . . . walking legs. You may recall that we met the relative primitives at the bottom here before, in the kanji for melancholy (frame 663). [15]


2158

lovely

麗

The painting of a deer itself with its form and color is enough to fill the bill for an image of something lovely. But to give a bit of contrast, we see two mediocre drawings from a later age on two patches of ceiling above. Note that the drop in mediocre has been lengthened somewhat and the second stroke drawn down straight. [19]


2159

bear

熊

Elbow . . . flesh . . . spoon atop spoon . . . oven fire. [14]


2160

ability

能

Try relating this kanji to that of the previous frame. For instance, you might imagine that the test of ability envisioned here is removing the bear from the oven fire. [10]


2161

attitude

態

Ability . . . heart. [14]


Lesson 55

The final grouping of kanji is based on primitives related to fantastical animals and beings. We begin with two animals belonging to the zodiac.

2162

sign of the tiger

寅

House . . . ceiling . . . sprout . . . animal legs. Compare, and do not confuse with, the kanji in frame 1887. [11]


2163

performance

演

Water . . . sign of the tiger. [14]


2164

sign of the dragon

辰

Cliff . . . two . . . hairpins. [7]


2165

embarrass

辱

Sign of the dragon . . . glue. [10]


2166

quake

震

Weather . . . sign of the dragon. [15]


2167

shake

振

Fingers . . . sign of the dragon. [10]


2168

with child

娠

Woman . . . sign of the dragon. The key word is a synonym for pregnant, whose character we met earlier (frame 546). Although the two kanji are often used together, they should be kept distinct. [10]


2169

lips

唇

Sign of the dragon . . . mouth. [10]


2170

agriculture

農

Bend . . . sign of the dragon. [13]


2171

concentrated

濃

Among other things, the key word refers to the thick consistency of liquids. Its elements: water . . . agriculture. [16]


*

golden calf



The story is told of the people of the Exodus that, disstisfied with Moses’ leadership, they colleted their gold ornaments and melted them down to fashion a golden calf for an idol. The animal horns and heavens here represent that god of theirs. [6]


2172

send off

送

Road . . . golden calf. [9]


2173

connection

関

Gates . . . golden calf. [14]


2174

blossom

咲

Mouth . . . golden calf. [9]


2175

ghost

鬼

Drop of . . . brains . . . human legs . . . elbow. [10]


2176

ugly

醜

Whiskey bottle . . . ghost. [17]


2177

soul

魂

Rising cloud of . . . ghosts. [14]


2178

witch

魔

Hemp . . . ghost. Take care not to confuse with the primitive of the same name learned earlier (page 164). [21]


2179

fascination

魅

Ghost . . . not yet. [15]


2180

clod

塊

Soil . . . ghost. [13]


2181

attack

襲

Vase . . . flesh . . . slingshot (doubled up with) snake . . . three . . . garment. The top half of this character is the old form for the kanji in frame 575. [22]

系 糾 紀 紂 約 紅 紆 紊 紋


Lesson 56

This, the last of all the Lessons, is intended to complete preparations for learning new kanji not treated in these pages. A group of 19 such kanji has been reserved for this purpose and arranged in four groups typifying the kinds of problems you can run into. Aside from help with unusual stroke order and the indication of the total number of strokes in square brackets, no hints will be given.

The first and simplest group will be composed of those whose parts you will recognize immediately from characters already learned. We list seven examples, each representing one of the principles governing primitives.

2182

upbraid

嚇

[17]


2183

majestic plural

朕

[10]


2184

atmosphere

雰

[12]


2185

item

箇

[14]


2186

tempering

錬

[16]


2187

abide by

遵

[15]


2188

quit

罷

[15]


Secondly, you may run into characters that you learned as primitives, but whose meaning is completely unrelated to the primitive meaning we adopted. In learning the meaning of the kanji, be careful not to forget what it stands for when used as a primitive element.

2189

barracks

屯

[4]


2190

moreover

且

[5]


In the third place, you will meet kanji using combinations of elements that you can make into a new primitive with its own particular meaning. Recall a previous kanji in which this combination appears and adjust your story to reinforce your new invention.

2191

seaweed

藻

[19]


2192

slave

隷

[16]


2193

healing

癒

[18]


2194

imperial seal

璽

[19]


Finally, there are shapes that were not covered in this book. You are on your own here, but it may help to consult a kanji dictionary to see whether any of the parts might not be a character with a specific and useful meaning. In many cases, as in the following two frames, the unfamiliar pieces will turn out to be parts of known characters or primitives (the bird in frame 2195 and the boat in frame 2196).

2195

lagoon

潟

[15]


2196

cinnabar

丹

[4]


Scattered here and there throughout the foregoing 55 lessons several figures of the Sino-Japanese zodiac were introduced. We conclude this lesson, and the book, with the remaining figures. In all, there are twelve animals, several of which take their writing from other characters quite unrelated in meaning. So far, then, we have learned the following: rat (子), tiger (寅), dragon (辰), horse (午), ram (未), monkey (申), bird (酉), dog (戌), and hog (亥). This leaves three for the learning, and one new associated kanji.

2197

sign of the cow

丑

[4]

納 紐 純 紕


2198

humiliate

羞

Wool . . sign of the cow. [11]


2199

sign of the hare

卯

[5]


2200

sign of the snake

巳

[3]


Valeant benefici,
Poenas dent malefici!

index 1

Primitive Elements

This Index lists all the primitive elements of this book, except for those treated as kanji on their own. Note that not all possible alternate forms are given here and that not all primitive forms with the same meaning appear side by side.

The primitives are arranged according to the number of strokes. Tap on any primitive to view it in context.

1 画

促

俄

罧

罠

羌


2 画

偕

亀

乳

僕

僘

料

僞

剛

羯

同

寳

抒

柝

栂

沫

津

胚

渟

琿

瓱

羣

纖

皃

羲

盖

盞

睿

瞎



瞞

砿

硲

繆

福

舸



窶

船


3 画

初

翻

羔

羞

羚

屆

忙

羨

義

拊

日

朗

榾

殖

瀞

狹

猯

般

珮

琪

絞

畿

瘴

癡

癰



睆..

縢

瞬

碗

祢

羈

.. 睆

羸

羝


4 画

翳

老

翼

托

栔

棧

槝

濬

耗

泚

耨

澹

耀

球

瑯

瓠

甑

界

鰌

羡

椛

耽

耡

癲

緲

羹

直

羽

瞶

硬

碑

繁

組

繍

秘

秬

籃


5 画

耆

栖

梛

樢

正

段

耳

汊

沌

沖

者

熬

璢

田

疲

耻

癪

皙

盍

耋

翔

砃

砡

翁

羃

罫

禍

禮

翆

翊

鶩

空

翌

椏

簧

聖


6 画

棕

梳

棄

樓

橡

櫨

耘

燕

瓦

瘁

瘤

皀

皜

眄

眛

砂

舶

碣

磊

譌

耐

罷

椄

粞

糢

翠


7 画

潛

烽

煜

燿

瓢

畚

翅

窯

習

耒

罇

糸


8 画

傷

耕

洄

淬

湿

父

申

癸

羇

繝

稔


9 画

匤

翡

温

鷂

熹

縞

翕

翰

籾

翦

粤


10 画

翩

悛

翫

碮

確

礫

穫


11 画

涜

澁

犱

畝


12 画

洸

滉

瘟

禺


13 画

總

罵


index 2

Kanji in Stroke Order

Here you will find all the kanji treated in this book, grouped by the number of strokes. The ordering within each stroke-number group follows the standard dictionary practice of arranging the kanji according to “radicals.”

Tap on any character to go to its frame.

1 画

一

乙


2 画

丁

七

乃

九

了

二

人

八

入

刀

力

匕

十

又


3 画

万

丈

三

上

下

与

丸

久

之

乞

子

亡

凡

刃

勺

千

及

口

土

士

夕

大

女

寸

小

山

川

工

己

巾

巳

干

弓

才


4 画

不

丑

中

丹

乏

予

互

五

井

仁

今

介

仏

允

元

公

六

内

円

冗

凶

分

切

刈

勿

匁

匂

勾

化

匹

区

升

午

厄

友

双

反

収

天

太

夫

孔

少

尺

屯

幻

廿

引

弔

心

戸

手

支

文

斗

斤

方

日

曰

月

木

欠

止

比

毛

氏

水

火

爪

父

片

牙

牛

犬

王


5 画

且

世

丘

丙

主

丼

以

仕

他

付

仙

代

令

兄

冊

写

冬

処

凸

出

凹

刊

功

加

包

北

半

占

卯

去

古

句

只

叫

召

可

叱

台

号

史

右

司

囚

四

圧

外

央

失

奴

尼

尻

左

巧

巨

市

布

平

幼

庁

広

弁

弘

必

打

払

斥

旦

旧

未

末

本

札

正

母

民

氷

永

汁

氾

瓜

犯

玄

玉

瓦

甘

生

用

田

由

甲

申

白

皮

皿

目

矛

矢

石

示

礼

穴

立

辺

辻

込


6 画

両

争

亘

交

亥

仮

仰

仲

伎

件

任

企

伊

伏

伐

休

会

伝

充

兆

先

光

全

共

再

刑

列

劣

匠

印

危

各

合

吉

同

名

后

吏

吐

向

吸

回

因

団

在

圭

地

壮

多

好

如

妃

妄

字

存

宅

宇

守

安

寺

尽

州

当

帆

年

式

弐

忙

成

扱

旨

早

旬

旭

曲

肌

有

朱

朴

机

朽

次

死

毎

気

汐

汗

汚

江

汎

池

灯

灰

百

竹

米

糸

缶

羊

羽

老

考

耳

肉

自

至

舌

臼

舟

色

芋

芯

芝

虫

血

行

衣

西

巡

迅


7 画

串

乱

亜

伯

伴

伸

伺

似

位

低

住

佐

体

但

何

余

作

克

児

兵

冷

冶

初

判

別

利

助

努

励

労

医

即

却

卵

君

吟

否

含

吹

吾

呂

呈

呉

告

困

囲

図

坂

均

坊

坑

声

壱

売

妊

妙

妥

妖

妨

孝

完

対

寿

尾

局

尿

岐

希

序

床

廷

弄

弟

形

役

忌

忍

志

忘

応

快

我

戒

戻

扶

批

技

抄

把

抑

投

抗

折

抜

択

改

攻

更

肖

肘

肝

杉

杏

材

村

束

条

来

求

汽

決

沈

沖

沙

没

汰

沃

沢

災

状

狂

男

町

社

秀

私

究

系

良

花

芳

芸

臣

見

角

言

谷

豆

貝

赤

走

足

身

車

辛

辰

迎

近

返

邦

酉

里

麦

阪

防


8 画

並

乳

事

享

京

佳

併

使

例

侍

供

依

価

侮

具

典

免

函

到

制

刷

券

刺

刹

刻

効

劾

卑

卒

卓

阜

協

参

叔

取

受

周

味

呼

呪

命

和

固

国

坪

垂

夜

奇

奈

奉

奔

妹

妻

姉

始

姓

妬

委

季

孤

学

宗

官

宙

定

宛

宜

宝

実

尚

居

屈

届

岡

岩

岬

岳

岸

幸

底

店

府

延

弥

弦

弧

彼

往

征

径

忠

念

怖

性

怪

房

所

承

披

抱

抵

抹

押

抽

担

拍

拐

拒

拓

拘

拙

招

拝

拠

拡

拉

放

斉

昆

昇

昌

明

旺

易

昔

朋

服

肢

肥

股

肩

肪

肯

育

杯

東

松

板

析

林

枚

果

采

枝

枕

枠

枢

欧

武

歩

殴

毒

沫

河

沸

油

治

沼

沿

況

泊

泌

法

泡

波

泣

泥

注

泳

炉

炊

炎

版

牧

物

玩

画

的

盲

直

知

祈

祉

突

空

糾

者

舎

苑

芽

苗

若

苦

苛

英

茂

茎

虎

表

迫

迭

述

邸

邪

那

金

長

門

阻

阿

附

雨

青

非


9 画

乗

亭

係

侯

俊

侵

便

促

俗

保

侶

信

冒

冠

則

削

前

勅

勃

勇

南

卸

厘

厚

叙

咲

咽

哀

品

型

垣

城

変

契

奏

姻

姿

威

客

室

宣

専

単

屋

封

峠

峡

巻

帥

帝

幽

度

建

彦

待

律

後

怒

思

怠

急

怨

恒

恨

悔

括

拷

拾

持

拶

指

拭

挑

挟

政

故

施

星

映

春

昧

昨

昭

是

昼

肺

胃

胆

背

胎

胞

栄

枯

査

架

柄

柏

柿

某

染

柔

柱

柳

栃

柵

段

泉

洋

洗

洞

津

洪

活

派

浄

浅

海

炭

為

点

牲

狙

狭

狩

独

珍

甚

界

畑

畏

疫

発

皆

皇

盆

看

県

盾

省

相

眉

砂

研

砕

祖

祝

神

秋

科

秒

窃

紀

約

紅

級

美

耐

臭

茨

茶

草

荒

荘

虐

虹

要

訂

計

訃

貞

負

赴

軌

軍

迷

追

退

送

逃

逆

郊

郎

限

重

面

革

音

頁

風

飛

食

首

香


10 画

修

俳

俵

俸

倉

個

倍

倒

候

借

倣

値

倫

倹

俺

党

兼

准

凍

凄

剖

剛

剣

剤

剥

冥

勉

匿

原

員

唆

唄

哺

哲

唇

唐

埋

夏

姫

娘

娠

娯

孫

宮

宰

害

宴

宵

家

容

射

将

酎

展

峰

島

差

席

帯

帰

座

庫

庭

弱

徐

徒

従

恋

悦

恐

恥

恩

恭

息

恵

恣

悟

悩

扇

挙

振

挿

捕

捜

捉

挨

挫

拳

敏

旅

既

料

時

書

胸

望

脅

脇

脂

朕

胴

能

脈

朗

脊

案

桜

核

格

桂

校

根

栽

桟

株

栓

桑

桃

桐

梅

栗

桁

残

殊

殉

殺

泰

消

浸

浜

浮

浦

浴

流

涙

浪

烏

烈

特

珠

班

畜

畔

畝

留

疾

症

疲

病

益

真

眠

破

砲

祥

称

租

秘

秩

竜

笑

粋

粉

索

紙

純

素

納

紋

紡

紛

翁

耕

耗

致

航

般

華

荷

荻

蚕

蚊

衰

衷

袖

被

師

記

訓

託

討

貢

財

軒

起

辱

逝

造

速

逐

通

逓

途

透

連

郡

酌

酒

配

針

院

陥

降

除

陣

陛

釜

隻

飢

馬

骨

高

鬼


11 画

乾

偏

停

健

側

偵

偶

偽

副

剰

動

勘

務

唯

唱

商

問

啓

喝

唾

域

執

培

基

埼

堀

堂

堆

婆

婚

婦

宿

寂

寄

寅

密

尉

巣

崇

崎

崩

崖

帳

常

康

庶

庸

張

強

彩

彫

得

悠

患

悪

悼

情

惜

惨

S

捨

据

掃

授

排

掘

掛

採

探

接

措

控

推

描

掲

捗

捻

救

教

敗

斎

斜

断

旋

族

曹

曽

脱

脚

脳

豚

梓

梢

梨

械

梗

戚

欲

殼

液

涯

渇

渓

混

済

渋

淑

渚

渉

深

清

淡

添

淫

涼

猪

猫

猛

猟

率

爽

球

現

理

瓶

産

異

略

盛

盗

眼

眺

祭

票

章

痕

窓

窒

移

第

笛

符

笠

笹

粗

粘

粒

経

紺

細

終

紹

紳

組

累

習

翌

粛

船

舶

舷

菓

菊

菌

菜

著

菱

葛

萎

虚

蛍

蛇

術

袋

羞

規

視

許

訟

設

訪

訳

貨

貫

責

販

貧

貪

赦

軟

転

斬

逸

進

週

逮

郭

郷

都

部

郵

酔

釈

野

釣

閉

陰

険

陳

陶

陪

陸

隆

陵

雪

頂

頃

魚

鳥

鹿

麻

黄

黒

亀


12 画

傍

傘

備

偉

僅

割

創

勝

募

勤

博

善

喚

喜

喪

喫

営

H

I

喉

圏

堕

堤

堪

報

場

塀

塁

塔

塚

堅

奥

婿

媒

媛

富

寒

尊

尋

就

属

嵐

帽

幅

幾

廃

廊

弾

衆

御

復

循

悲

惑

惰

慌

愉

扉

掌

提

揚

換

握

揮

援

揺

搭

敢

散

敬

斑

普

暁

景

晴

最

晶

替

智

晩

暑

腕

朝

期

脹

棋

棒

棚

棟

森

検

棺

植

極

椅

椎

欺

款

殖

温

渦

減

湖

港

滋

湿

測

渡

湯

満

湾

湧

焼

煮

焦

然

無

猶

琴

畳

番

疎

痛

痘

痢

登

着

短

硬

硝

硫

痩

税

程

童

筋

策

等

筒

答

筆

K

粧

絵

給

結

絞

紫

絶

統

絡

落

葬

葉

蛮

街

裁

装

裂

補

裕

覚

詠

詐

証

詔

詞

診

訴

評

象

賀

貴

貸

貯

買

費

貿

貼

越

超

距

軽

軸

運

過

遇

遂

達

遅

道

遊

遍

酢

量

鈍

開

閑

間

階

隅

随

隊

陽

集

雇

雅

雄

雲

雰

項

須

順

飲

飯

歯


13 画

催

傑

債

傷

傾

働

僧

傲

勢

勧

嗣

嘆

園

塊

塑

塗

塩

墓

填

夢

奨

嫁

嫌

嫉

寛

寝

塞

幌

窟

幹

廉

彙

微

愁

想

意

愚

愛

感

慈

慎

慨

慄

戦

損

搬

携

搾

摂

鼓

数

新

暇

暖

暗

腸

腹

腰

腺

膝

腎

腫

楽

棄

業

椿

楠

楼

楷

歳

殿

毀

滑

漢

源

溝

準

滞

漠

滅

蒲

溶

滝

溺

煙

煩

照

煎

献

猿

痴

盟

睡

督

睦

碁

碑

禁

禍

禅

福

稚

節

継

絹

続

罪

署

置

群

義

羨

聖

艇

幕

蒸

蓄

蓋

虞

虜

蜂

裏

褐

裸

裾

解

触

該

詰

誇

試

詩

詳

誠

誉

話

詮

詣

辞

豊

資

賊

賃

賄

賂

跡

践

跳

路

踪

較

載

農

遠

遣

違

遜

遡

酬

酪

鉛

鉱

鉄

鉢

鈴

電

雷

零

隔

P

靴

頑

頒

預

頓

飼

飾

飽

鳩


14 画

像

僕

僚

鳴

塾

境

増

墨

奪

嫡

寡

寧

蜜

層

彰

徳

徴

態

慕

慢

憎

慣

摘

歌

旗

暮

暦

膜

概

模

構

様

歴

穀

演

漁

漬

漆

漸

漕

滴

漂

漫

漏

熊

獄

瑠

疑

瘍

磁

察

種

稲

窪

端

罰

箇

管

算

箸

精

維

綱

緒

総

綿

網

緑

練

綻

聞

腐

蔦

蔑

裳

製

複

語

誤

誌

誓

説

読

認

誘

豪

貌

踊

辣

遮

遭

適

酵

酷

酸

銀

銃

銭

銑

銅

銘

閣

関

閥

隠

際

障

雑

雌

需

静

領

餌

餅

駅

駆

駄

髪

魂

鼻


15 画

儀

億

劇

嘱

器

噴

嘲

墜

墳

嬌

審

寮

導

履

幣

弊

影

徹

潰

慰

慶

憂

慮

憤

憬

憧

戯

撃

摩

摯

撮

撤

撲

敵

敷

暫

暴

横

槽

権

標

歓

潔

潤

潟

潜

潮

澄

熟

勲

熱

璃

畿

監

盤

確

稼

稿

穂

稽

窮

窯

罷

罵

箱

範

縁

緩

緊

縄

線

締

編

舞

舗

蔵

蔽

膚

蝶

衝

褒

謁

課

諸

請

諾

誕

談

調

論

諦

誰

賛

賜

賭

質

賞

賠

賓

賦

趣

踏

輝

輩

輪

遺

遵

遷

選

鋭

鋳

閲

震

霊

養

餓

頬

駒

駐

魅

黙


16 画

儒

凝

墾

壁

壌

壇

壊

奮

嬢

憩

憲

憶

懐

憾

操

擁

整

曇

機

橋

激

濁

濃

膨

樹

燃

獣

獲

磨

穏

積

築

篤

篭

糖

縦

縛

繁

縫

興

薫

薪

薦

薄

薬

膳

緻

融

衡

衛

親

賢

諮

謀

諭

謡

諧

輸

醒

還

避

緯

錦

鋼

錯

錠

錘

錬

録

錮

隣

隷

頭

頼

館

骸

麺


17 画

償

優

厳

嚇

懇

戴

擦

擬

濯

曖

臆

燥

爵

犠

環

療

瞳

瞭

矯

礁

翼

縮

績

繊

聴

覧

謄

謙

講

謝

謹

謎

購

轄

醜

鍛

鍵

鍋

闇

霜

頻

鮮

齢


18 画

懲

曜

濫

藍

璧

癒

癖

瞬

礎

穫

簡

糧

織

繕

翻

繭

職

藤

藩

襟

覆

臨

観

贈

鎌

鎖

鎮

闘

離

難

韓

題

額

顎

顔

顕

類

騎

騒

験

鯉


19 画

瀬

璽

爆

簿

繰

羅

臓

艶

藻

覇

識

譜

警

蹴

鏡

霧

韻

願

髄

鯨

鶏

麓

麗


20 画

懸

欄

競

籍

議

譲

護

醸

鐘

響

騰


21 画

艦

躍

露

顧

鶴

魔


22 画

襲

驚


23 画

鑑


29 画

鬱


index 3

Key Words & Primitive Meanings

This final Index contains a cumulative list of all the key words and primitive meanings used in this book. Tap on any term to see it in context. Remember that primitive meanings introduced in connection with a kanji do not have their own frame.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z


壱

I (one)

弐

II (two)


A

abacus

棄

abandon

略

abbreviation

腹

abdomen

援

abet

遵

abide by

能

ability

廃

abolish

頃

about that time

上

above

該

above-stated

裕

abundant

弊

abuse

受

accept

戴

accept humbly

偶

accidentally

従

accompany

達

accomplished

累

accumulate

訴

accusation

慣

accustomed

功

achievement

酸

acid

認

acknowledge

acorn

承

acquiesce

acupuncturist

加

add

宛

address

付

adhere

斉

adjusted

偉

admirable

警

admonish

崇

adore

巧

adroit

進

advance

aerosol can

件

affair

縁

affinity

附

affixed

患

afflicted

阿

Africa

再

again

又

again, or

齢

age

攻

aggression

肯

agreement

農

agriculture

扶

aid

狙

aim at

疎

alienate

皆

all

盟

alliance

充

allot

施

alms

altar

迭

alternate

蓄

amass

望

ambition

祖

ancestor

angel

角

angle

釣

angling

怒

angry

獣

animal

animal legs

牲

animal sacrifice

animal tracks

添

annexed

反

anti-

antique

煩

anxiety

謝

apologize

顕

appear

称

appellation

apple

応

apply

逮

apprehend

畏

apprehensive

賛

approve

杏

apricot

apron

弧

arc

烈

ardent

論

argument

arm

腕

arm

甲

armor

脇

armpit

軍

army

憤

aroused

拘

arrest

到

arrival

匂

aroma

傲

arrogance

arrow

術

art

artificial

匠

artisan

伎

artist, performing

登

ascend

灰

ashes

亜

Asia

措

aside, set

殴

assault

assembly line

資

assets

佐

assistant

組

association

確

assurance

迷

astray

渋

astringent

雰

atmosphere

襲

attack

仕

attend

装

attire

態

attitude

嬌

attractive

謁

audience

殖

augment

祥

auspicious

権

authority

秋

autumn

陪

auxiliary

醒

awakening

敬

awe

awl

斤

ax

軸

axis


B

児

babe, newborn

裏

back

悪

bad

章

badge

俵

bag

荷

baggage

焼

bake

ball

球

ball

票

ballot

竹

bamboo

笹

bamboo grass

笠

bamboo hat

banner

宴

banquet

蛮

barbarian

廉

bargain

麦

barley

爵

baron

屯

barracks

酌

bartending

baseball (team)

塁

bases

盆

basin

篭

basket

浴

bathe

浦

bay

岸

beach

豆

beans

熊

bear

撃

beat

媛

beautiful woman

美

beauty

招

beckon

床

bed

蜂

bee

先

before

予

beforehand

乞

beg

元

beginning

惑

beguile

後

behind

鐘

bell

鈴

bell, small

属

belong

下

below

belt

曲

bend

益

benefit

徳

benevolence

遺

bequeath

宜

best regards

与

bestow

妖

bewitched

斗

Big Dipper

貼

bill, post a

函

bin

鳥

bird

酉

bird, sign of the

bird, white

birdhouse

辣

bitter

黒

black

墨

black ink

胆

bladder, gall

刃

blade

責

blame

館

Bldg.

福

blessing

盲

blind

楷

block letters

版

block, printing

blocks, building

塞

block up

血

blood

咲

blossom

吹

blow

青

blue

瑠

blue, marine

紺

blue, navy

崖

bluffs

猪

boar

搭

board

誇

boast

舟

boat

体

body

body, part of

煮

boil

騒

boisterous

爆

bomb

債

bond

bone

bonsai

本

book

盛

boom

借

borrow

胸

bosom

両

both

bottle, genie in the

bottle, whiskey

底

bottom

枝

bough

岩

boulder

boulevard

街

boulevard

bound up

境

boundary

豊

bountiful

弓

bow

鉢

bowl

弦

bowstring

box

箱

box

升

box, measuring

坊

boy

爽

bracing

脳

brain

brains

支

branch

岐

branch off

揮

brandish

毀

break

breasts

息

breath

牧

breed

醸

brew

茨

briar

賄

bribe

婿

bridegroom

橋

bridge

明

bright

育

bring up

拡

broaden

錦

brocade

broom

兄

brother, elder

弟

brother, younger

褐

brown

brush

筆

brush, writing

画

brush-stroke

泡

bubble

湧

bubble up

bucket of eels

buckle

芽

bud

仏

Buddha

僧

Buddhist priest

寺

Buddhist temple

建

build

building blocks

弾

bullet

蒲

bullrush

的

bull’s eye

苛

bullying

束

bundle

拙

bungling

駄

burdensome

局

bureau

官

bureaucrat

賊

burglar

燃

burn

埋

bury

bushel basket

bushes

奔

bustle

忙

busy

況

but of course

butcher

蝶

butterfly

尻

buttocks

買

buy

以

by means of

by one’s side

傍

bystander


C

cabbage

曹

cadet

禍

calamity

算

calculate

暦

calendar

calf, golden

訪

call on

呼

call

calling card

穏

calm

椿

camellia

陣

camp

楠

camphor tree

可

can

can, aerosol

缶

can, tin

candle

candlestick

砲

cannon

幌

canopy

canopy, glass

帽

cap

埼

cape

京

capital

畿

capital suburbs

覆

capsize

虜

captive

囚

captured

車

car

瘍

carbuncle

鯉

carp

般

carrier

運

carry

cart

彫

carve

幣

cash

鋳

casting

城

castle

猫

cat

梓

catalpa

捕

catch

cauldron

釜

cauldron

因

cause

cave

窟

cavern

caverns

孔

cavity

杉

cedar

ceiling

祝

celebrate

celery

cell

劾

censure

央

center

cereal

穀

cereals

儀

ceremony

摩

chafe

chain

鎖

chain

椅

chair

挑

challenge

堂

chamber, public

化

change

唱

chant

chapel

課

chapter

焦

char

字

character

炭

charcoal

chariot

追

chase

討

chastise

診

checkup

頬

cheek

快

cheerful

桜

cherry tree

棋

chess piece

栗

chestnut

栃

chestnut, horse

粋

chic

鶏

chicken

伯

chief

chihuahua

子

child

娠

child, with

顎

chin

P

chink

鳴

chirp

択

choose

析

chop

斬

chop off

chop-seal

箸

chopsticks

Christmas tree

紀

chronicle

菊

chrysanthemum

丹

cinnabar

円

circle

周

circumference

city walls

clam

藩

clan

拍

clap

摯

clasp

級

class

爪

claw

浄

clean

汰

cleanse

拓

clear the land

晴

clear up

敏

cleverness

cliff

候

climate

至

climax

閥

clique

cloak

clock

塊

clod

閉

closed

clothes hanger

clothesline

服

clothing

雲

cloud

cloud of, rising

曇

cloudy weather

協

co-

督

coach

粗

coarse

cocoon

繭

cocoon

典

code

棺

coffin

銭

coin

寒

cold

陥

collapse

襟

collar

僚

colleague

衝

collide

色

color

彩

coloring

column

欄

column

脊

column, spinal

comb

来

come

綻

come apart at the seams

come in

庸

comfortable

帥

commander

戒

commandment

始

commence

委

committee

庶

commoner

朋

companion

社

company

比

compare

compass

賠

compensation

編

compilation

了

complete

computer

輩

comrade

凹

concave

隠

conceal

濃

concentrated

想

concept

就

concerning

兼

concurrently

弔

condolences

condor

菓

confectionary

叙

confer

conflagration

抗

confront

儒

Confucian

錯

confused

凝

congeal

賀

congratulations

推

conjecture

関

connection

諾

consent

考

consider

託

consign

慰

consolation

伴

consort

謀

conspire

恒

constancy

憲

constitution

諮

consult with

喫

consume

遂

consummate

触

contact

容

contain

争

contend

続

continue

械

contraption

較

contrast

轄

control

便

convenience

凸

convex

搬

conveyor

炊

cook

cooking fire

冷

cool

coop, turkey

銅

copper

写

copy

索

cord

奥

core

隅

corner

礎

cornerstone

cornstalk

cornucopia

正

correct

廊

corridor

粧

cosmetics

舎

cottage

綿

cotton

貌

countenance

国

country

邦

country, home

郡

county

勇

courage

廷

courts

庭

courtyard

蔽

cover over

貪

covet

牛

cow

丑

cow, sign of the

臆

cowardice

cowl

工

craft

塾

cram school

狭

cramped

鶴

crane

墜

crash

造

create

江

creek

紋

crest, family

cricket, game of

Cricket, Talking

犯

crime

紅

crimson

批

criticism

crock, lidded

辻

crossing

crotch

烏

crow

込

crowded

crown

冠

crown

朴

crude

酷

cruel

崩

crumble

泣

cry

璃

crystal

培

cultivate

cup, measuring

杯

cupfuls

流

current

歴

curriculum

呪

curse

幕

curtain

切

cut

筒

cylinder


D

dagger

細

dainty

酪

dairy products

損

damage

湿

damp

舞

dance

危

dangerous

敢

daring

闇

dark, pitch

暗

darkness

繕

darning

矢

dart

娘

daughter

日

day

暁

daybreak

昼

daytime

死

death

旬

decameron

朽

decay

亡

deceased

欺

deceit

決

decide

衰

decline

飾

decorate

耗

decrease

奉

dedicate

勲

deed, meritorious

深

deep

鹿

deer

deer, painting of

負

defeat

衛

defense

譲

defer

潰

defile

堕

degenerate

度

degrees

議

deliberation

微

delicate

旨

delicious

歓

delight

届

deliver

洪

deluge

妄

delusion

需

demand

壊

demolition

洞

den

逝

departed

科

department

預

deposit

窪

depression

嘲

derision

降

descend

昆

descendants

柄

design

机

desk

乏

destitution

滅

destroy

離

detach

詳

detailed

留

detain

定

determine

devil

露

dew

斜

diagonal

径

diameter

菱

diamond

痢

diarrhea

dice

diced

違

difference

難

difficult

掘

dig

堤

dike

脹

dilate

勤

diligence

薄

dilute

膳

dining tray

方

direction

司

director

dirt

汚

dirty

災

disaster

捨

discard

発

discharge

修

discipline

啓

disclose

慌

disconcerted

絶

discontinue

謹

discreet

識

discriminating

談

discuss

皿

dish

嫌

dislike

遣

dispatch

呈

display

処

dispose

S

disquieting

融

dissolve

遠

distant

差

distinction

紛

distract

愁

distress

配

distribute

妨

disturb

堀

ditch

剖

divide

divining rod

為

do

医

doctor

誌

document

犬

dog

dog, large

(戌)

dog, sign of the

dog, St. Bernard

dog tag

dollar sign

飼

domesticate

着

don

丼

donburi

戸

door

扉

door, front

寮

dormitory

剤

dose

致

doth

倍

double

double back

疑

doubt

dove

博

Dr.

稿

draft

drag

竜

dragon

辰

dragon, sign of the

劇

drama

寄

draw near

怖

dreadful

夢

dream

漂

drift

飲

drink

滴

drip

駆

drive

垂

droop

drop of

drop, to

乾

drought

没

drown

溺

drowning

睡

drowsy

drum

鼓

drum

酔

drunk

干

dry

ducks, migrating

鈍

dull

複

duplicate

役

duty

住

dwell

減

dwindle

染

dye


E

各

each

耳

ear

穂

ear of a plant

早

early

稼

earnings

earthworm

東

east

易

easy

食

eat

宇

eaves

響

echo

悦

ecstasy

端

edge

詔

edict, imperial

eel

eels, bucket of

旺

effulgent

卵

egg

我

ego

八

eight

elbow

肘

elbow

兄

elder brother

姉

elder sister

選

elect

電

electricity

素

elementary

象

elephant

詮

elucidate

逸

elude

辱

embarrass

抱

embrace

卓

eminent

感

emotion

皇

emperor

雇

employ

員

employee

后

empress

空

empty

倣

emulate

郭

enclosure

遭

encounter

励

encourage

侵

encroach

終

end

忍

endure

敵

enemy

英

England

刻

engrave

悟

enlightenment

籍

enroll

入

enter

興

entertain

誘

entice

臓

entrails

嘱

entrust

絡

entwine

羨

envious

辺

environs

疫

epidemic

嫉

envy

匹

equal

騎

equestrian

衡

equilibrium

備

equip

架

erect

噴

erupt

逃

escape

様

Esq.

設

establishment

尚

esteem

等

etc.

永

eternity

倫

ethics

欧

Europe

避

evade

評

evaluate

平

even

夕

evening

汐

eventide

毎

every

遍

everywhere

証

evidence

校

exam

検

examination

例

example

秀

excel

佳

excellent

替

exchange

除

exclude

免

excuse

勉

exertion

尽

exhaust

奨

exhort

在

exist

出

exit

伸

expand

費

expense

師

expert

説

explanation

績

exploits

披

expose

妙

exquisite

程

extent

消

extinguish

抄

extract

末

extremity

目

eye

eyeball

眼

eyeball

眉

eyebrow

eyedropper


F

築

fabricate

顔

face

仰

faceup

謄

facsimile

派

faction

敗

failure

幽

faint

信

faith

落

fall

偽

falsehood

紋

family crest

氏

family name

扇

fan

賃

fare

畑

farm

魅

fascination

括

fasten

脂

fat

fat man

命

fate

父

father

測

fathom

恵

favor

恐

fear

羽

feathers

feathers, tail

料

fee

餌

feed

情

feelings

伐

fell

雌

female

塀

fence

fenceposts

酵

fermentation

肥

fertilizer

篤

fervent

少

few

維

fiber

田

field, rice

猛

fierce

fiesta

闘

fight

姿

figure

列

file

孝

filial piety

緻

fine

指

finger

fingerprint

fingers

済

finish

火

fire

fire, cooking

fire, oven

fireplace

薪

firewood

初

first time

魚

fish

乙

fish guts

fishhook

漁

fishing

fist

拳

fist

合

fit

五

five

flag

旗

flag, national

flames

軒

flats

味

flavor

fledgling

flesh

翻

flip

float

浮

floating

群

flock

flood

floor

粉

flour

栄

flourish

flower

花

flower

瓶

flower pot

液

fluid

笛

flute

飛

fly

flying horse

省

focus

霧

fog

折

fold

随

follow

翌

following, the

好

fond

food

愚

foolish

麓

foot of a mountain

履

footgear

拠

foothold

footprint

勢

forces

渉

ford

額

forehead

森

forest

鍛

forge

忘

forget

曽

formerly

占

fortune-telling

養

foster

四

four

薫

fragrant

枠

frame

放

free, set

貨

freight

鮮

fresh

友

friend

戯

frolic

乃

from

扉

front door

前

front, in

霜

frost

凍

frozen

倹

frugal

果

fruit

満

full

基

fundamentals

funnel

毛

fur

畝

furrow


G

得

gain

胆

gall bladder

賭

gamble

猟

game hunting

game of cricket

苑

garden

衣

garment

門

gates

集

gather

羅

gauze

璧

gem, holed

総

general

世

generation

創

genesis

genie (in the bottle)

才

genius

妥

gentle

士

gentleman

純

genuine

菌

germ

鬼

ghost

巨

gigantic

桁

girder

趣

gist

呉

give

腺

gland

glass canopy

鬱

gloom

彙

glossary

艶

glossy

glue/glued to

gnats

碁

Go

go in

遡

go upstream

goat, mountain

仲

go-between

倉

godown

神

gods

行

going

金

gold

golden calf

去

gone

良

good

吉

good luck

品

goods

款

goodwill

峡

gorge

庁

government office

采

grab

恩

grace

淑

graceful

雅

gracious

段

grade

徐

gradually

卒

graduate

賂

graft

粒

grains

grains of rice

沙

grains of sand

孫

grandchild

賜

grant

把

grasp

草

grass

笹

grass, bamboo

grass skirt

擦

grate

墓

grave

graveyard

傑

greatness

緑

green

磨

grind

握

grip

探

grope

ground

地

ground

ground, sitting on the

墾

groundbreaking

団

group

林

grove

更

grow late

grow up

怨

grudge

守

guard

察

guess

客

guest

導

guidance

guillotine

罪

guilt

湾

gulf

gully

銃

gun

舷

gunwale

溝

gutter

奴

guy


H

冥

Hades

俳

haiku

hair

髪

hair of the head

hair, lock of

hairpin

矛

halberd

半

half

堂

hall

halo

停

halt

手

hand

扱

handle

hands, outstretched

hands, two

掛

hang

幅

hanging scroll

憬

hanker

故

happenstance

幸

happiness

港

harbor

窮

hard up

固

harden

卯

hare, sign of the

害

harm

和

harmony

琴

harp

穫

harvest

笠

hat, bamboo

hat, top

憎

hate

津

haven

綱

hawser

haystack

彼

he

head

頭

head

頂

head, place on the

岬

headland

捗

headway, make

療

heal

癒

healing

健

healthy

聞

hear

審

hearing

心

heart

hearth

炉

hearth

熱

heat

天

heavens

重

heavy

垣

hedge

覇

hegemony

阪

Heights

嗣

heir

helmet

助

help

裾

hem

麻

hemp

仙

hermit

匿

hide

堆

high, piled

陛

highness

丘

hill

塚

hillock

障

hinder

枢

hinge

史

history

当

hit

喝

hoarse

亥

hog, sign of the

揚

hoist

持

hold

穴

hole

璧

holed gem

聖

holy

宅

home

邦

home country

帰

homecoming

郷

hometown

蜜

honey

御

honorable

酎

hooch

hood

hook

勾

hooked

跳

hop

希

hope

涯

horizon

緯

horizontal

horns

horse

馬

horse

栃

horse chestnut

horse, flying

(午)

horse, sign of the

horses, team of

湯

hot water

宵

hours, wee

house

家

house

幾

how many

但

however

擁

hug

human legs

仁

humanity

羞

humiliate

慎

humility

隆

hump

百

hundred

億

hundred million

飢

hungry

狩

hunt

猟

hunting, game

急

hurry

夫

husband

殻

husk


I

吾

I

I beam

氷

icicle

意

idea

病

ill

照

illuminate

模

imitation

稚

immature

頓

immediate

浸

immersed

拶

imminent

授

impart

詔

imperial edict

勅

imperial order

璽

imperial seal

中

in

in a row, upside down

前

in front

香

incense

含

include

収

income

increase

増

increase

被

incur

徴

indications

藍

indigo

個

individual

幼

infancy

infant

劣

inferiority

炎

inflammation

騰

inflation

継

inherit

墨

ink, black

填

inlay

衷

inmost

宿

inn

尋

inquire

銘

inscription

虫

insect

挿

insert

内

inside

視

inspection

院

Inst.

即

instant

却

instead

訓

instruction

罵

insult

賢

intelligent

志

intention

相

inter-

遮

intercept

換

interchange

葬

interment

釈

interpretation

那

interrogative

間

interval

遇

interview

腸

intestines

睦

intimate

威

intimidate

紹

introduce

勘

intuition

必

invariably

逆

inverted

査

investigate

鉄

iron

銑

iron, pig

沃

irrigate

島

island

隔

isolate

伊

Italy

箇

item

ivy


J

jail cell

介

jammed in

桂

Japanese Judas-tree

jawbone

妬

jealous

玉

jewel

圭

jewel, squared

併

join

往

journey

慶

jubilation

桂

Judas-tree, Japanese

判

judgment

踊

jump

徒

junior

領

jurisdiction

是

just so

童

juvenile


K

kazoo

ketchup

key

鍵

key

蹴

kick

拐

kidnap

腎

kidney

殺

kill

窯

kiln

王

king

膝

knee

knot

知

know

韓

Korea

葛

kudzu


L

労

labor

欠

lack

漆

lacquer

彦

lad

勺

ladle

婦

lady

潟

lagoon

荒

laid waste

湖

lake

悼

lament

灯

lamp

land

陸

land

lap

大

large

阜

large hill

嬢

lass

更

late, grow

笑

laugh

濯

laundry

惰

lazy

鉛

lead (metal)

将

leader

葉

leaf

漏

leak

傾

lean

躍

leap

習

learn

革

leather

講

lecture

左

left

足

leg

leg, wooden

嫡

legitimate wife

legs, animal

legs, human

legs, walking

閑

leisure

貸

lend

丈

length

張

lengthen

楷

letters, block

均

level

賦

levy

淫

lewd

允

license

蓋

lid

lidded crock

詐

lie

寝

lie down

生

life

軽

lightly

蛍

lightning bug

如

likeness

lily, water

肢

limb

限

limit

line

線

line

line, assembly

陳

line up

系

lineage

布

linen

舶

liner

唇

lips

聴

listen

小

little

暮

livelihood

活

lively

肝

liver

畜

livestock

載

load

場

location

錠

lock

lock of hair

locket

理

logic

腰

loins

寂

loneliness

長

long

久

long time

距

long-distance

寿

longevity

欲

longing

顧

look back

臨

look to

漫

loose

主

lord

失

lose

痩

lose weight

譲

lot

愛

love

麗

lovely

低

lower

卑

lowly

忠

loyalty

澄

lucidity

吉

luck, good

材

lumber

狂

lunatic

肺

lungs

繁

luxuriant

lying (down)


M

製

made in…

maestro

magic wand

磁

magnet

郵

mail

mailbox

朕

majestic plural

作

make

商

make a deal

捗

make headway

雄

male

母

mama

男

man

mandala

mane

操

maneuver

掌

manipulate

癖

mannerism

多

many

幾

many, how

図

map

march

瑠

marine blue

市

market

販

marketing

侯

marquis

婚

marriage

髄

marrow

嫁

marry into

沼

marsh

殉

martyrdom

面

mask

衆

masses

畳

mat, tatami

姻

matrimony

事

matter

陵

mausoleum

僕

me

原

meadow

飯

meal

寸

measurement

升

measuring box

measuring cup

肉

meat

機

mechanism

媒

mediator

薬

medicine

凡

mediocre

meeting

会

meeting

憂

melancholy

熟

mellow

朗

melodious

瓜

melon

溶

melt

膜

membrane

覚

memorize

mending

述

mention

慈

mercy

効

merit

勲

meritorious deed

metal

冶

metallurgy

I

metaphor

法

method

都

metropolis

宙

mid-air

migrating ducks

尉

military officer

乳

milk

擬

mimic

mind, state of

鉱

mineral

交

mingle

mirror

鏡

mirror

雑

miscellaneous

喪

miss

missile

mist

誤

mistake

混

mix

餅

mochi

塑

model

遜

modest

刹

moment

monks

monkey

猿

monkey

(申)

monkey, sign of the

匁

monme

月

month

moon

mop

弥

more and more

且

moreover

朝

morning

臼

mortar

mosaic

蚊

mosquito

型

mould

岡

Mount

山

mountain

麓

mountain, foot of a

mountain goat

峠

mountain pass

渓

mountain stream

忌

mourning

口

mouth

動

move

殿

Mr.

泥

mud

桑

mulberry

府

municipality

muscle

筋

muscle

楽

music

奏

music, play

譜

musical score

互

mutually

muzzle

俺

myself

玄

mysterious


N

捉

nab

nail

裸

naked

名

name

氏

name, family

奈

Nara

旗

national flag

誕

nativity

航

navigate

紺

navy blue

近

near

首

neck

要

need

needle

針

needle

否

negate

不

negative

怠

neglect

隣

neighboring

巣

nest

網

netting

新

new

児

newborn babe

次

next

号

nickname

凄

nifty

夜

night

旦

nightbreak

晩

nightfall

九

nine

硝

nitrate

第

No.

節

node

謡

Noh chanting

麺

noodles

午

noon

北

north

nose

鼻

nose

nostrils

勿

not

未

not yet

帳

notebook

無

nothingness

掲

notice, put up a

滋

nourishing

今

now

核

nucleus

萎

numb

数

number

尼

nun


O

柏

oak

椎

oak, sweet

oaken tub

肪

obese

順

obey

訃

obituary

昧

obscure

瞭

obvious

際

occasion

営

occupation

洋

ocean

之

of

庁

office, government

献

offering

吏

officer

尉

officer, military

油

oil

君

old boy

老

old man

翁

old man, venerable

Old West

古

old

婆

old woman

旧

olden times

昔

once upon a time

一

one

自

oneself

片

one-sided

只

only

泌

ooze

開

open

沖

open sea

又

or again

order, imperial

諧

orderliness

令

orders

整

organize

孤

orphan

他

other

須

ought

暴

outburst

outhouse

概

outline

観

outlook

外

outside

郊

outskirts

outstretched hands

oven fire

統

overall

克

overcome

過

overdo

濫

overflow

茂

overgrown

泊

overnight

豪

overpowering

監

oversee

倒

overthrow

owl

oyster


P

pack of wild dogs

詰

packed

畔

paddy ridge

頁

page

塔

pagoda

痛

pain

塗

paint

painting of a deer

双

pair

柵

palisade

汎

pan-

紙

paper

paper punch

parade

項

paragraph

逓

parcel post

燥

parch

赦

pardon

親

parent

園

park

駐

parking

分

part

part of the body

偏

partial

殊

particularly

頒

partition

侶

partner

詞

parts of speech

党

party

彰

patent

路

path

哀

pathetic

巡

patrol

範

pattern

桐

paulownia

亭

pavilion

払

pay

伺

pay respects

泰

peaceful

桃

peach tree

峠

peak, mountain

梨

pear tree

珠

pearl

台

pedestal

剥

peel off

Pegasus

皮

pelt

懲

penal

罰

penalty

徹

penetrate

pent in

民

people

pepper, red

完

perfect

演

performance

伎

performing artist

芳

perfumed

期

period

perish

許

permit

柿

persimmon

人

person

係

person in charge

勧

persuade

覧

perusal

願

petition

幻

phantasm

哲

philosophy

句

phrase

採

pick

拾

pick up

漬

pickling

絵

picture

貫

pierce

孝

piety, filial

銑

pig iron

鳩

pigeon

piggy bank

piglets

堆

piled high

柱

pillar

枕

pillow

摘

pinch

松

pine tree

慕

pining

pinnacle

管

pipe

坑

pit

闇

pitch dark

惜

pity

所

place

頂

place on the head

置

placement

胞

placenta

plaid

野

plains

案

plan

削

plane

板

plank

植

plant

稲

plant, rice

栽

plantation

遊

play

奏

play music

愉

pleasure

契

pledge

計

plot

plow

抽

pluck

栓

plug

窒

plug up

梅

plum

太

plump

朕

plural, majestic

懐

pocket

壇

podium

詩

poem

岳

Point

鋭

pointed

毒

poison

pole (wooden)

極

poles

研

polish

政

politics

池

pond

駒

pony

唄

pop song

豚

pork

携

portable

兆

portent

porter

有

possess

職

post

貼

post a bill

逓

post, parcel

構

posture

鍋

pot

瓶

pot, flower

potato

芋

potato

陶

pottery

注

pour

貧

poverty

力

power

痘

pox

練

practice

褒

praise

祈

pray

貴

precious

険

precipitous

序

preface

県

prefecture

妊

pregnancy

現

present

贈

presents

圧

pressure

既

previously

値

price

僧

priest, Buddhist

姫

princess

刷

printing

版

printing block

獄

prison

私

private

賞

prize

赴

proceed

宣

proclaim

産

products

業

profession

利

profit

禁

prohibition

延

prolong

約

promise

崎

promontory

耐

-proof

財

property

割

proportion

提

propose

昌

prosperous

伏

prostrated

保

protect

仮

provisional

糧

provisions

慮

prudence

公

public

刊

publish

引

pull

刑

punish

pup tent

瞳

pupil

puppet

清

pure

斎

purification

紫

purple

purse

逐

pursue

押

push

put in

掲

put up a notice

puzzle


Q

震

quake

困

quandary

量

quantity

quarter

准

quasi-

妃

queen

問

question

速

quick

静

quiet

罷

quit

quiver


R

rabbit

輝

radiance

rag

雨

rain

虹

rainbow

挙

raise

rake

(未)

ram, sign of the

域

range

位

rank

疾

rapidly

瀬

rapids

珍

rare

寧

rather

(子)

rat, sign of the

率

ratio

光

ray

戻

re-

及

reach out

読

read

実

reality

刈

reap

諭

rebuke

receipt

享

receive

憩

recess

詠

recitation

reclining

憶

recollection

薦

recommend

録

record

娯

recreation

募

recruit

矯

rectify

赤

red

red pepper

荻

reed

礁

reef

精

refined

映

reflect

改

reformation

涼

refreshing

隊

regiment

簿

register

秩

regularity

治

reign

斥

reject

喜

rejoice

戚

relatives

安

relax

依

reliant

宗

religion

残

remainder

骸

remains

憾

remorse

悠

remote

撤

remove

破

rend

著

renowned

諦

renunciation

償

reparation

酬

repay

頻

repeatedly

拒

repel

悔

repent

報

report

抑

repress

排

repudiate

誉

reputation

求

request

究

research

肖

resemblance

恨

resentment

居

reside

邸

residence

辞

resign

resin

抵

resist

恭

respect

伺

respects, pay

任

responsibility

休

rest

復

restore

臣

retainer

退

retreat

返

return

告

revelation

尊

revered

閲

review

蔑

revile

訂

revise

転

revolve

韻

rhyme

律

rhythm

里

ri

米

rice

田

rice field

rice, grains of

稲

rice plant

rice seedling

謎

riddle

乗

ride

畔

ridge, paddy

棟

ridgepole

慢

ridicule

右

right

義

righteousness

厘

rin

環

ring

乱

riot

昇

rise up

rising cloud of

旭

rising sun

冒

risk

祭

ritual

河

river

road

道

road-way

煎

roast

奪

rob

壮

robust

rock

棒

rod

rod, divining

恋

romance

屋

roof

室

room

根

root

roots

rope

縄

rope, straw

腐

rot

旋

rotation

丸

round

起

rouse

途

route

並

row

艇

rowboat

漕

rowing

抹

rub

慨

rue

則

rule

走

run

沿

run alongside

軌

rut


S

saber

剣

saber

袋

sack

犠

sacrifice

牲

sacrifice, animal

悲

sad

護

safeguard

俊

sagacious

帆

sail

酒

saké

salad

給

salary

唾

saliva

塩

salt

礼

salutation

救

salvation

同

same

samurai

砂

sand

沙

sand, grains of

挟

sandwiched

康

sane

帯

sash

飽

sated

貯

savings

saw

言

say

曰

sayeth

saying

桟

scaffold

scale

痕

scar

scarecrow

scarf

scarf, top hat and

散

scatter

景

scenery

策

scheme

scepter

塾

school, cram

schoolhouse

scissors

叱

scold

譜

score, musical

侮

scorn

scorpion

scrapbook

screwdriver

記

scribe

巻

scroll

幅

scroll, hanging

海

sea

沖

sea, open

浜

seacoast

封

seal

璽

seal, imperial

seal, chop-

綻

seams, come apart at the

捜

search

季

seasons

席

seat

藻

seaweed

秒

second

second

密

secrecy

秘

secret

部

section

召

seduce

見

see

苗

seedling

沸

seethe

獲

seize

己

self

謙

self-effacing

恣

selfish

売

sell

準

semi-

還

send back

送

send off

文

sentence

別

separate

循

sequential

据

set

措

set aside

放

set free

納

settlement

七

seven

断

severance

縫

sew

性

sex

陰

shade

影

shadow

振

shake

尺

shaku

shakuhachi

浅

shallow

恥

shame

shape

形

shape

sheaf

羊

sheep

枚

sheet of

shelf

棚

shelf

貝

shellfish

shells

盾

shield

移

shift

昭

shining

脚

shins

宮

Shinto shrine

船

ship

串

shish kebab

靴

shoes

射

shoot

舗

shop

短

short

肩

shoulder

担

shouldering

叫

shout

挨

shove

shovel

示

show

shredder

宮

shrine, Shinto

詣

shrine, visit a

縮

shrink

慄

shudder

鎌

sickle

sickness

側

side

side, by one’s

横

sideways

siesta

sieve

嘆

sigh

酉

sign of the bird

丑

sign of the cow

(戌)

sign of the dog

辰

sign of the dragon

卯

sign of the hare

亥

sign of the hog

(午)

sign of the horse

(申)

sign of the monkey

(未)

sign of the ram

(子)

sign of the rat

巳

sign of the snake

寅

sign of the tiger

署

signature

標

signpost

silage

黙

silence

絹

silk

蚕

silkworm

silver

銀

silver

似

similar

単

simple

簡

simplicity

誠

sincerity

独

single

沈

sink

漢

Sino-

紳

sire

姉

sister, elder

妹

sister, younger

座

sit

sitting on the ground

六

six

骨

skeleton

描

sketch

技

skill

膚

skin

裳

skirt

skirt, grass

skunk

緩

slacken

撲

slap

slave

隷

slave

眠

sleep

袖

sleeve

繊

slender

slingshot

抜

slip out

滑

slippery

坂

slope

遅

slow

鈴

small bell

砕

smash

煙

smoke

snake

蛇

snake

巳

snake, sign of the

撮

snapshot

snare

H

sniff

雪

snow

某

so-and-so

懇

sociable

軟

soft

土

soil

兵

soldier

唯

solely

粛

solemn

請

solicit

答

solution

身

somebody

者

someone

郎

son

歌

song

唄

song, pop

類

sort

然

sort of thing

魂

soul

音

sound

汁

soup

源

source

南

south

帝

sovereign

sow

亘

span

暇

spare time

spark

晶

sparkle

sparkler

申

speaketh

spear

特

special

専

specialty

種

species

鑑

specimen

斑

speckled

speech

詞

speech, parts of

圏

sphere

辛

spicy

spike

脊

spinal column

錘

spindle

呂

spine

紡

spinning

梗

spiny

気

spirit

霊

spirits

吐

spit

沫

splash

華

splendor

裂

split

催

sponsor

spool

匕

spoon

点

spot

挫

sprain

敷

spread

泉

spring

春

springtime

sprout

偵

spy

班

squad

圭

squared jewel

搾

squeeze

St. Bernard dog

突

stab

滞

stagnate

茎

stalk

stamp

印

stamp

立

stand up

規

standard

staple gun

staples

星

star

眺

stare

餓

starve

州

state

state of mind

駅

station

K

stationery

像

statue

背

stature

格

status

状

status quo

漸

steadily

盗

steal

窃

stealth

蒸

steam

鋼

steel

踏

step

厳

stern

stick, walking

粘

sticky

硬

stiff

促

stimulate

臭

stinking

俸

stipend

奮

stirred up

株

stocks

胃

stomach

石

stone

止

stop

店

store

蔵

storehouse

嵐

storm

階

story

直

straightaway

渚

strand

奇

strange

絞

strangle

層

stratum

straw man

縄

straw rope

川

stream

渓

stream, mountain

丁

street

stretch

堅

strict

打

strike

強

strong

strung together

頑

stubborn

学

study

痴

stupid

剛

sturdy

式

style

征

subjugate

潜

submerge

供

submit

購

subscription

質

substance

代

substitute

畿

suburbs, capital

吸

suck

哺

suckle

訟

sue

苦

suffering

糖

sugar

適

suitable

硫

sulfur

暑

sultry

夏

summer

峰

summit

sun

旭

sun, rising

sunflower

sunglasses

sunglasses with one lens out

陽

sunshine

冗

superfluous

宰

superintend

補

supplement

存

suppose

表

surface

姓

surname

越

surpass

剰

surplus

囲

surround

懸

suspend

怪

suspicious

経

sūtra

沢

swamp

汗

sweat

掃

sweep

甘

sweet

椎

sweet oak

膨

swell

迅

swift

泳

swim

揺

swing

刀

sword

症

symptoms

制

system


T

table

札

tag

尾

tail

tail feathers

裁

tailor

取

take

連

take along

話

tale

Talking Cricket

高

tall

唐

T’ang

租

tariff

務

task

taskmaster

房

tassel

畳

tatami mat

税

tax

茶

tea

教

teach

team of horses

涙

tears

芸

technique

teenager

teepee

錬

tempering

寺

temple, Buddhist

暫

temporarily

唆

tempt

十

ten

万

ten thousand

執

tenacious

柔

tender

優

tenderness

緊

tense

試

test

肌

texture

Thanksgiving

厚

thick

股

thigh

淡

thin

物

thing

思

think

丙

third class

渇

thirst

緒

thong

刺

thorn

千

thousand

糸

thread

脅

threaten

三

three

喉

throat

投

throw

雷

thunder

阻

thwart

券

ticket

潮

tide

結

tie

虎

tiger

寅

tiger, sign of the

締

tighten

瓦

tile

耕

till

樹

timber-trees

時

time

暇

time, spare

回

-times

缶

tin can

弄

tinker with

疲

tired

共

together

努

toil

符

token

寛

tolerant

墳

tomb

碑

tombstone

冊

tome

舌

tongue

tongue wagging in mouth

余

too much

tool

具

tool

歯

tooth

top hat

top hat and scarf

題

topic

亀

tortoise

拷

torture

接

touch

巾

towel

閣

tower

村

town

玩

toy

跡

tracks

tracks, animal

貿

trade

通

traffic

踪

trail

稽

training

鎮

tranquilize

超

transcend

渡

transit

遷

transition

訳

translate

伝

transmit

透

transparent

輸

transport

盤

tray

践

tread

宝

treasure

木

tree

幹

tree trunk

梢

treetops

甚

tremendously

族

tribe

貢

tribute

triceps

僅

trifle

旅

trip

悩

trouble

真

true

胴

trunk

幹

trunk, tree

縛

truss

頼

trust

tub, oaken

tucked under the arm

腫

tumor

調

tune

芝

turf

turkey

turkey house/coop

番

turn

成

turn into

turtle

牙

tusk

廿

twenty

条

twig

糾

twist

二

two

two hands

坪

two-mat area

虐

tyrannize


U

醜

ugly

umbrella

傘

umbrella

非

un-

叔

uncle

曖

unclear

異

uncommon

潔

undefiled

企

undertake

脱

undress

uneasiness

展

unfold

United States

普

universal

厄

unlucky

解

unravel

変

unusual

嚇

upbraid

貞

upright

勃

uprising

upside down in a row

遡

upstream, go

迫

urge

尿

urine

使

use

常

usual

器

utensil

用

utilize

最

utmost


V

漠

vague

valentine

谷

valley

価

value

弁

valve

汽

vapor

諸

various

vase

弘

vast

槽

vat

菜

vegetable

vehicle

脈

vein

翁

venerable old man

験

verification

朱

vermilion

吟

versify

縦

vertical

隻

vessels

摂

vicarious

副

vice-

勝

victory

競

vie

荘

villa

町

village

凶

villain

蔦

vine

酢

vinegar

激

violent

賓

V.I.P.

善

virtuous

対

vis-à-vis

参

visit

詣

visit a shrine

声

voice

濁

voiced

虚

void

積

volume

誓

vow

俗

vulgar

vulture


W

wagging tongue in a mouth

wagon

待

wait

侍

waiter

waitress

歩

walk

walking legs

walking stick

wall

壁

wall

wand, magic

浪

wandering

戦

war

区

ward

防

ward off

庫

warehouse

温

warm

暖

warmth

武

warrior

艦

warship

洗

wash

荒

waste, laid

看

watch over

楼

watchtower

水

water

湯

water, hot

water lily

滝

waterfall

猶

waver

波

waves

弱

weak

wealth

富

wealth

weather

weather vane

織

weave

宵

wee hours

週

week

曜

weekday

痩

weight, lose

迎

welcome

錮

weld

祉

welfare

井

well

西

west

West, Old

潤

wet

鯨

whale

何

what

wheat

輪

wheel

由

wherefore

渦

whirlpool

whirlwind

whiskey bottle

白

white

white bird

誰

who

全

whole

卸

wholesale

芯

wick

邪

wicked

wicker basket

広

wide

氾

widespread

寡

widow

妻

wife

嫡

wife, legitimate

wild dogs, pack of

柳

willow

wind

風

wind

繰

winding

窓

window

咽

windpipe

翼

wing

wings

瞬

wink

冬

winter

拭

wipe

智

wisdom

念

wish

藤

wisteria

魔

witch

witch

娠

with child

控

withdraw

枯

wither

堪

withstand

女

woman

媛

woman, beautiful

胎

womb

驚

wonder

wood

wooden leg

wooden pole

wool

語

word

words

働

work

界

world

拝

worship

傷

wound

包

wrap

捻

wrench

惨

wretched

書

write

筆

writing brush


Y

拉

yank

yarn

yawn

年

year

歳

year-end

憧

yearn

喚

yell

黄

yellow

昨

yesterday

屈

yield

向

yonder

若

young

弟

younger brother

妹

younger sister


Z

禅

Zen

零

zero

zoo